Broken and Bruised
by Murasaki Lumi
Summary: Rishka Saki has just gotten her freedom taken away from her. She has been taken a million miles away from what she once called home. She finds herself stuck with two infuriating old farts and a coldhearted boy. What now? Read and find out. ON HIATUS.
1. Find Her

**Ok, uh, hi! Um, this is a story I was working on a while ago. It's my first attempt at a Kai/OC fic, so be nice. Please. And enjoy. Now, I bring to you the first chapter of Broken and Bruised! **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Beyblade.**

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter One: Find Her**

**Normal P.O.V/ Location: Russia**

Boris and Voltaire sat in a room. It was know as their private room. If they were in there, they would only be disturbed in an emergency.

"Well, what are we going to do?"

"Do?"

"Its about time the girl arrived here. She was meant to arrive here thirteen years ago."

"You know Saki. He couldn't take the girl from his wife when he tried. The fool."

Boris let out a harsh laugh. "A fool indeed. He wouldn't have signed the contract if he knew that he would be signing his daughter's life away."

"Oh well, what's done is done. No turning back."

"So, how do we get the girl?"

"I think it's about time we payed our dear Australian friend a visit."

The two men laughed sinisterly. After sitting in silence for moments, Voltaire stood up.

"Excuse me Boris. I have to discuss a matter with my grandson."

**Kai's Room **

Kai was sitting on his window-seat looking out at the night sky, when he heard a sharp knock on his door. Kai's head snapped away from the window and turned to look at the door.

"Who is it?" Kai asked in an emotionless tone.

"Kai, open the door. I have something to discuss with you."

Keeping a blank expression on his face, Kai got off his perch and opened the door, letting his grandfather enter. Kai stepped back, folded his arms and looked up at his grandfather.

"Well?"

"As you may know, Balkov Abbey maybe getting a new 'recruit'."

Kai said nothing, so Voltaire continued.

"This new recruit is different than the rest. I'm sure you will soon find out how different. They're of the Saki family, good friends with the Hiwataris'. They will be your roommate in the Abbey until further notice. I want you to keep a close watch on them grandson. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes I do grandfather."

"Good. I have nothing more to discuss with you."

Voltaire left Kai's room, shutting the door behind him. After a minute or so passed, Kai let out a low, frustrated growl and stormed back to his window-seat and looked up to the night sky. As he lost himself in its beauty, Kai thought,

'Why does grandfather want me to baby-sit a child? Is this some form of punishment? What's so special about them anyway? Suppose he wants me to find that out on my own. Why does he want them to be my roommate? Suppose it has something to do with them being a friend of the family.'

**/Master Kai, please go to bed, you have a long day tomorrow. And besides, all that thinking you're doing is giving me a headache/ **

**/Ok then Dranzer. Whatever makes you happy/ **

Kai pulled himself away from his window and walked over to his bed. He removed his scarf, shark-finned gloves and shoes. Kai placed Dranzer on his bedside table. Then Kai changed his clothes and crawled into bed. Before he fell asleep, Kai turned to look at the spare bed. The bed where his future roommate would sleep. He always preferred his being alone.

'They better not be trouble.' Kai thought, before rolling onto his back and folding his arms behind his head.

**Ok, short I know. But it will get better, I hope. So, what do you think? Is it a good start? Please review! Thank you! **

**You/Kai fic fan **


	2. Telling the Truth

**Wow! You know, for such a crap start, I got more reviews than I expected! Thank you all! Now, time to answer some reviews! **

**rebecca-1769: Yay! You were my first reviewer! Yep! Sure do! Down-under's going good. Not too happy about school though. Cause school means homework. Oh gag me please! We do? Where do you live? Yeah! Long live the internet! **

**Moonlit Sea: Hi! Thanks! Really? I didn't! Actually, you were my second, but you already know that. Yay for you anyway! Yeah, you do that! Your life depends on it! Just joking! No problem! Anything for a friend!**

**Moonlight Kitten: bows thank you. Hey, who knows? That's your decision to make. I sure hope so! I just hope that you're right! I miss talking to you! **

**Forfirith: The dark angel: Yepness! Really? Thank you! Sure will! You'll see soon enough! I hope that you like her! Thank you! I just made it up while I was looking at a ring tone on my house phone called Irish Eyes! Bizarre if you ask me!**

**SGCred: Thank you! And yes, you are! Ah, now you'll soon see! Of course there is! Just made this story as something to do while thinking what to do with I Found You Again. Oh yeah, I need to deflate my head a bit, as it's so full of ideas! Understood! Totally now how it feels! Really! Do you like it? **

**Beyblade-gal: Thank you! Would you believe me if I said that it took me almost an hour to think of three words? Three words! Honestly, just a title, I tell you! Ah, oh well, done now! **

**crazy crystal: Yeah! Uh, yeah what? What are we saying yeah for? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, just my OC, her father and her friends. **

**Chapter Two: Telling the Truth**

**Normal P.O.V/ Location: Russia**

That morning, before Voltaire left to go to the airport, he summoned his grandson to his study. When Voltaire heard a knock on the door, he looked up and drawled in a cold voice,

"Enter."

Kai opened the door, entered and closed it behind him. Then he walked over to his grandfather's desk. Instead of sitting down, he just stood there, looked at his grandfather and said,

"You wanted to speak with me?"

"I have the feeling that you don't like my decision about the new recruit."

Kai didn't reply.

"Well, she's arriving tonight, so I suggest that you get used to it."

Even though his grandson's face was blank, Voltaire could tell Kai was very displeased. Voltaire smirked.

"Think of it as a new assignment. You may go now, Grandson."

Kai remained silent as he left his grandfather's study. He stormed out into the forest and sat down, shading himself under a huge tree. As he leaned against the tree trunk, he thought furiously,

'Arriving tonight? Get used to it? New assignment?'

Kai growled. Then his eyes opened wide in realization.

'Wait a fucking minute, did he say she! Oh great, just great. I have to share my room with a friggen girl!'

**Meanwhile, on the other side of the Earth…..**

**Normal P.O.V/ Location: Australia**

A thirteen year old girl is in her room. She's in her high school uniform, light blue blouse and navy pants. She just finishes packing her books into her school bag when her dad sticks his head through the doorway.

"Rishka, Jacinta is here."

"Ok, bye Dad!"

Rishka bolted out of her room and out the front door to greet her friend.

"Hi Cindy! What's up?"

"Nothing much and you?"

"Same old, same old."

The two girls laughed as they walked up the road together. Rishka, who was more known to her friends as Rish, was about 157 cm tall. She had a curvy body and was a bit athletic. Rishka had dark brown hair, which gave off a copper-like glow when the light hit it. She had a small, delicate nose that was dotted with a tiny amount off freckles and full lips. But her best feature was her eyes. They were a deep brown with amber-coloured flecks.

Jacinta, who was more well known as Cindy was a little on the tubby side. She was wearing a polo top, navy of course with navy pants to match. She had dark brown hair that came halfway down her biceps with dark brown eyes to match.

The girls chatted about everything there was to talk about while they walked to school.

"Hey, you guys, wait up!"

The two friends stopped walking and turned to face the owner of the familiar voice. It was another member of their gang. Belinda, known as Bel, was crossing the road, jogging towards them.

Belinda was wearing a school blouse like Rishka's but instead of navy pants, she wore Mango jeans. Atop her maroon dyed hair sat a dark brown and tan coloured Billabong cap. Her eyes were a light blue colour that matched her blouse.

"Let me guess, bad hair day?" Rishka commented, gesturing to the cap.

"Who told you!" Belinda demanded sarcastically in a stupid voice.

"Ya mama!"

"Oh, shit! I mean, uh, damn!"

The three girls laughed as they crossed the overhead bridge that would lead them over the highway. After that, they would walk past the primary school and enter Lakes High, their school.

"So, ready to commence a 5 day death sentence?" Rishka asked her friends as they approached the high school.

"Do we have to?" Bel and Cindy asked in unison.

"Yeah, unless you guys wanna wag."

"Nah, I'll go for supple death, thanks."

"Nice."

"Hi guys!"

"Hey! What's new?"

"School sucks."

"I said, what's NEW!"

Seven girls laughed together as they walked together, heading towards the canteen. Apparently, as you would have guessed, 4 more members of the gang had arrived. These girls were Crystal, Leane, Zoe and Emily.

Crystal is Rishka's best friend, whom Rishka calls Crys. Crystal has dark sand-blonde hair and sea-green eyes. She was wearing her school blouse and navy talson sport shorts that stopped above her knee.

Leane is Emily's best friend. Her light hair with blonde streaks was pulled up into a ponytail. Her school uniform was identical to Rishka's.

Emily looks like Leane; they were often mistaken for sisters by those who didn't know them. Emily's uniform was identical to Krystal's. Her light brown hair was as long as Jacinta's and was the proud owner of a pair of electric blue eyes.

Zoe was wearing a uniform like Jacinta's. Her sun-kissed blonde hair was in a high ponytail. Zoe had a pair of sky blue eyes that always held a special twinkle. After Bel, Zoe, Emily and Leane made there lunch orders, the bell rang.

"Such perfect timing." Emily commented.

"Well, see you guys later!"

"Wait! Rishka, what do we have first?"

"English!" came the fast reply.

Rishka, Crystal and Emily walked to towards their rollcall room. Jacinta, Zoe and Belinda went the opposite way and up two flights of stairs to reach theirs. Leane walked ahead of them to reach hers. Soon, 1st period came and went. Then came 2nd, which was science. After that came a much wanted recess.

Rishka and Jacinta walked over to their favourite spot. A huge gum tree that was three meters or more away from the oval. Soon Emily, Belinda, Zoe and Crystal came to join them. Everyone greeted each other with 'Hey's' or 'Hi's'. Five minutes later Leane showed up.

"Hey peoples." she greeted them, tossing her bag down and collapsing on top of it.

"Hey, what took you so long?" Emily questioned.

"Miss Francis kept me in for detention."

"You never thought that 'act like a cow' would be in the job description, hey?" Rishka commented.

Leane scoffed. "Either that or it just comes to her naturally."

Kaylene's wisecrack was greeted by a fit of giggles.

In 3rd period, which was Maths, Rishka got a note from the office.

"Lucky you!" Jacinta whispered as Rishka packed her bag to go to the office.

Rishka smiled at her friend before leaving.

'I wonder what it's about.' Rishka thought as she entered the office.

The first person she saw was her dad.

"Hi Dad, what's up?"

"No time to talk now. I'll explain everything to you when we get home."

"Uh, ok, Dad." Rishka said quietly.

Rishka said nothing as her dad drove them home.

"Ok, now that we're home, what's going on?" Rishka asked her dad.

Her dad sighed and rubbed his temple. "Rishka, I don't know how to tell you this, but, you don't belong to me."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about? Of course I belong to you, I'm your daughter aren't I?"

"Rishka, please, it's hard to explain. Let's go inside the house."

When they got inside their house, Rishka put her bag in her room and went to join her father in the living room. She sat next to him on the couch. Her dad held a piece of paper in his hand.

"What's that?" Rishka asked him.

"It's a contract I signed 13 years ago."

"What about it?"

"You see, 13 years ago, I landed myself in a sticky situation. An old family friend offered to help me on one condition."

"Which was?"

"That I give them my child."

"What?"

"Oh, Rishka, it's a shock, I know. But you have to understand, I wasn't thinking straight. It was only when the mess had been cleaned up that I realized that I had signed your life away. We, your mother and I were supposed to hand you over the moment you were born. But we fell in love with you when we saw you, we couldn't give you up. When you were 3, they demanded us to hand you over, but your mother refused, so they killed her. Before they did, she made me promise her to protect you. So I moved the both of us to Australia."

"So that's why I had all those nightmares about men bursting out of nowhere, firing bullets at Mum and killing her?"

"Yes."

"Where did we used to live before?"

"Russia."

By now, Rishka's face had turned a deathly pale.

"I'm so sorry that it has to be this way, Rishka. But there's no changing the contract."

"So, where do I go now?"

"Pack your bag; you're going back to Russia."

"Ok, can I read the contract?"

Her father handed it to her. Rishka read it as she walked up the stairs towards her bedroom.

'Ok, so basically it just says that I'm going to be a puppet in a place called Balkov Abbey. For life. And it's run by two men named Voltaire and Boris. They must be the guys that killed Mum.'

Rishka put the contract on her desk then pulled out a medium sized duffel bag out of her closet. Rishka began to pull clothes out of drawers and whatnot. She packed carefully some PJ's, clothes, jacket, shoes, pens, paper, envelopes, hairbrush, hair ties, batteries, alarm clock, Discman, CD's and her photo album. Before Rishka put the album in the duffel, she looked at the photos inside.

They mostly were of her friends and family. When she came across a photo of her dad, Rishka growled and pulled it out. Unknown to her, there was another photo behind it, one she hadn't seen before. It was a picture of a woman in her mid-twenties. She had glowing copper hair and amber-coloured eyes. Rishka stared in awe. Her mother was beautiful.

Rishka shook her head to clear it and put the album in her bag and zipped it closed. Then she changed her clothes.

Rishka put on a fitted black t-shirt that said in white print, 'Sorry, if I look interested, I'm not.' And her favourite baggy jeans. To top off her outfit, Rishka added her favourite blood-red belt with thousands of holes punchered into it and blood-red wrist cuffs to match.

"Rishka, Voltaire has arrived."

'He must be the guy escorting me to Russia.' Rishka thought.

Rishka put on her flat-soled black leather boots with silver belt buckles on the sides. They came halfway up her calves, but you couldn't really tell because her jeans came down to her ankles. Rishka grabbed her duffel and looked at her room one last time before heading downstairs into the living room.

"Rishka, this is Voltaire." Her dad introduced her to the violet-eyed man.

Rishka felt chills run down her spine. This was one of the men in her nightmares that killed her mother.

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance Miss Saki." Voltaire drawled.

'Pleased to meet me? Pleased to meet me! God, this guy must be some sort of sicko. Pleased to meet the girl he made motherless.'

Rishka kept her face blank and gave him a curt nod.

"We have to go now; I have no time to waste." Voltaire said, heading out the door.

"Bye Dad. I love you." Rishka said, hugging her dad for the last time.

"Good bye Rishka. I'll miss you every day." Her father replied, hugging her tightly.

Then Rishka let go of her father, picked up her duffel and walked out the door, shutting it behind her.

In the taxi on the way to Sydney airport, Rishka looked at her little suburb of Lakes that she once thought was home. But Russia would be her home now. It always had been. Nothing could change that.

**Alright, I'm done. You review, I'm happy. And you get more entertainment. So, how was that? Good or shit? Let me know! Please review! **


	3. The Roommate

**Hi again! Thank you for all the reviews! 15 reviews, and in such a short time! Really, the most I could've hoped for was 8! Oh well, I'm glad that you all like my story, and I'm very grateful that you all go out of your way to review! Thanks, it really means a lot to me and I really appreciate it! So, I think its time to give you something all back in return. Answers to your reviews and the next chapter! **

**Forfirith: The dark angel: Thanks! I kinda dress like that, except I don't own the boots! I want them thought! Thank you! Well, he did. Better to just say it than to keep stalling and make it worse, I reckon. Hey, me too! I nearly snapped my pen when I wrote it! Makes me think twice about those anger management classes! Lol! Well wait no longer!**

**rebecca-1769: Thanks! Ah, just read for yourself and find out! Whoa! That is quite a fair distance! Luckily indeed! All hail internet! I would like to tell you my first name, but you don't show your email on your bio, and my name is not something that I want everybody to know. Sorry! I kinda guessed that! I have two friends with the same name as you. One lives in another suburb near me, the other lives in another state, Victoria. **

**SGCred: Hi! That's a good thing! That's a good thing too; you must really like the story! Yeah, poor girl, but it will definitely get better, honest! Well, you're about to find out in this chapter! Cool. Me too!**

**Moonlit Sea: Hi! Thank you! Oh, crap! whacks herself on the forehead Leave me alone! I was drowsy! Yeah, that's right, stop teasing me! And besides, I fixed it now! Ah, yes, you can't get killed! Not until you update! Lol, I'm just kidding! Love ya! **

**moonshine4352: Hey! Welcome new reviewer! Glad you love it! I'll be sure to write more!**

**Lilicat93: Hi! Another new reviewer! Thank you! Will do!**

**ShadedRogue: Hi to you too! Another reviewer! Thank you! Happy to hear! Thank you again! I will!**

**Blackdranzergurl: Hey! Thank you! Yep! I hope you like the chapter! Will try my best to do so. **

**DigiTails: Thank you, I'm glad you like it.**

**Moonlight Kitten: Thank you for being honest. I'll try to do better next time. Thanks for the encouragement. **

**Beyblade-gal: Yep. Pretty hopeless, aren't I? Lol! Right! Thanks! Yeah, I can imagine that it would be. **

**Wind Archer: Thanks! Hello and welcome to the club new reviewer! Ah, well, you don't have to wait any longer, I'll tell you that much! Cool name, by the way.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Beyblade, just my OC and her bit-beast. **

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter Three: The Roommate **

**Normal P.O.V/ Location: Russia **

As Rishka sat in the taxi that was taking her and Voltaire from the airport to the Abbey, she thought about all the things he told her. He told her about the Abbey, how it worked, its purpose and the rules she was to go and live by. He also told her that she was going to share a room with his grandson.

"He's the same age as you and his name is Kai." Voltaire had told her.

She may have looked cool and calm on the outside, but on the inside, Rishka was furious. It was bad enough to be taken away from your family and friends forever and to find out your father's big secret that he kept from you for so long on the same day, but now this? Now she had to be a roommate?

'Joy' Rishka thought sarcastically.

'I'll have a friend. Yeah right!'

Rishka scoffed on the inside. This really sucked. Rishka looked down at her beyblade. Unknown to her, it looked a lot like Kai's except it was coal-black with a blood red attack ring. Her bit-beast was a phoenix, like Dranzer except instead of being a fiery red, it was an amber colour with ice-blue eyes. It was known as Dranzian, the phoenix of healing.

**/Dranzian, what will I ever do/**

**/Breathe. Just breathe Mistress Rishka/**

**Kai P.O.V/ Location: Abbey, Kai's Room**

I was sitting at the window-seat, when I heard a knock on my door.

"Enter." I called out bitterly.

The door opened and a guard entered. "Your roommate has arrived."

"Humph."

The guard turned around and said to my unknown roommate, "You may enter."

I turned to look out the window. The moment of dread had arrived. I heard footsteps enter and the door close. Then I heard someone unzip their bag and start to unpack. I turned my head to look at my roommate. And could feel my eyes widen. She was the same age as me! She wasn't a little kid. Strange, they always go for younger kids because they're easier to brainwash. She wasn't looking up at me, so all I could see was that she was just under my height. She had dark brown hair, and from the tight black t-shirt, I could tell that she had an extremely nice figure.

And where did that thought just come from? Anyway, I think she got the feeling that I was watching her, because after she finished unpacking and shoved her bag under her bed, she looked at me. And I found myself staring at the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Her eyes were a dark brown with flecks of amber. She had a delicate nose dotted with freckles and full lips. She was……..gorgeous! Drop-dead gorgeous. Suddenly, her blank expression turned into a frown and she exclaimed,

"What's your problem? Never seen a girl before!"

My eyes went back to their normal size as I humphed and turned back to my view.

'So the roommate as an attitude.' I thought bitterly to myself.

**Normal P.O.V**

Later that night when they changed into other clothes and went to bed, Kai asked her,

"What's your name?"

"Hmm?" Rishka replied, half asleep.

"Well, we are roommates, like it or not."

Rishka mumbled a name.

"What was that?"

"Rishka, my name is Rishka." She whispered.

"Rishka." Kai repeated.

"Yeah, what Kai?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Your grandfather told me." With that, Rishka fell asleep.

'Her name suits her.' Kai thought.

'Wait a minute, what am I doing, thinking these thoughts? Beautiful? Gorgeous? What the hell is wrong with me!'

Soon, Kai fell asleep too.

**Ok, sorry that I took so long to update. This may not be my personal best, but hey, can't all be perfect. Oh, and by the way, there's a new story out that Moonlit Sea and I wrote together called Complex Relationships. I would appreciate it if you would check it out and tell us what you think of it. Thanks! Bye bye now! **


	4. Day 1

**Hey all, what up? Look, I know it's been ages since my last update, I'm sorry, but my arrangements to burn down my school have been prolonged, so I'm sorry about that. Plus, the school athletics carnival has been cancelled, meaning I won't get to stay home and update, it means I gotta go to school. Wah! Oh well, just gotta tell mum that it's still on, I never took home the notice they handed out yesterday, so how will she know? Anywho, enough with the blabber, ya'll want the story, so here it is! **

**Reviews from Chapter One, Find Her: **

**Dark Phoenix Angel Nami:** No, you're not an idiot! We're only human, we can't know everything! Thank you! I like your fics as well! You keep up the good work!

**JeLlYbEaN RuLz:** Lol! Thank you! I sure will!

**Reviews from Chapter Two, Telling the Truth: **

**Dark Phoenix Angel Nami:** Lol! Thank you! I will!

**Reviews from Chapter Three: The Roommate**

**Moonlit Sea:** Hi! No problem! Thanks! Hope to talk to you soon!

**Moonlight Kitten:** Thank you! Lol! Yeah, so do I! It's mine, mine I tell you! Really? Thanks! Will do!

**Forfirith: The dark angel:** Yep! They meet at last! Lol! Hmm, will they get along? Or not? We'll just have to see! Will do! Lol! At least I'm not the only one!

**Wind Archer:** Great! I'm glad to hear that! Hmm, yes, Kai is having thoughts. Should he have more? Lol! Ok, I'll try, but homework is a pain!

**sky-blue tiger: **Thanks! He must be! Of course we can! I talk back 24/7! I can't help it, its so much fun!

**rebecca-1769:** Hi! Hmm, does he? Lol! Ok, I'll send you an email. Of course I have MSN! Of course! I'd love to chat with you! It sure would be! I'll tell you that in my email. Cool.

**SGCred:** Hi! Lol! Thank you! Yeah, surprise, surprise! Ah, just wait and see! As I said, just wait! Alright. Yeah, sorry, school work is burying me!

**Torri-Chiobie:** Hello and welcome new reviewer! Thanks! I sure will!

**moonshine4352:** Thanks for reviewing! I will, writing is one of the most important things in my life! Right, ok, thanks for that, good to know.

**ShadedRogue:** Hmm, interesting. Lol! Thanks for reviewing!

**Dark Phoenix Angel Nami:** Hey! Thanks! Lol! Will do!

**JeLlYbEaN RuLz:** Lol! Thank you! Ok, will do! Really? Cool!

**Blackdranzergurl: **Mean, nah, I like to call it attitude! )

**Disclaimer: Don't own Beyblade, just my OC's and their bit-beasts.**

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter Four: Day One**

**Kai P.O.V/ Location: Kai and Rishka's bedroom**

I groaned as I heard my alarm clock go off. I rolled onto my side and reached out with one hand to push the snooze button. Then I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I found that Rishka's bed was empty. My eyebrows knitted together as I frowned.

'Where did she go?' I wondered.

"Looking for me?" a voice drawled in my ear.

I yelped in surprise and fell off the bed. I heard Rishka snicker.

"I don't see anything funny about this." I informed her coldly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Mr Stoic."

I growled.

"Well, are you going to accept my help, or am I wasting my time?"

I blinked and looked up. Rishka was now standing in front of me, holding her hand out. I grunted as I grasped her hand and hauled myself up. Rishka let go of my hand and said,

"Well, I'll just wait outside for you then."

"Why do you have to wait for me?"

"Well, I, unlike yourself, just arrived here last night. And I don't plan on getting lost this morning, so my only option is to follow you."

"Right."

Rishka smirked. "I'll wait for you outside."

I humphed to myself and put on my shirt since it was the only thing I lacked. Then I put on my scarf, shark-fin gloves and sneakers. I put my Dranzer and launcher in my pocket then headed out the door to lead Rishka to the cafeteria.

**Rishka P.O.V **

I couldn't sleep very much last night so I woke up earlier than planned. I had a shower, dried my hair then got dressed. Today I chose to wear a fitted black V-neck t-shirt that said in red graffiti print, 'What the hell are you looking at!' and my navy pants. Sure, they were supposed to be school uniform, but who here would know that? My shoulder length hair was in a messy bun and the last touches to my outfit were my favourite blood-red wrist cuffs and black sneakers with red laces.

Then, all I had to do was wait for Kai to wake up. By then, it was 3:30 am, so I only had to wait for an hour. While I waited, I checked my Dranzian over. She looked like she was in good shape, so I slipped her into my pocket along with my launcher. According to some rule, everyone was to wake up at 4:30am and be in the cafeteria by 5:00am sharp. And I'll never forget the look on Kai's face when I scared him out of bed. Too funny.

**Normal P.O.V**

The two teens arrived at the cafeteria, got there food and located a table.

"So, this is what they call breakfast around here, huh?" Rishka commented, poking at the brownish blob on her plate with her fork.

Kai snickered. "I guess you could say that."

Rishka shrugged. "Ah well, might as well get used to it."

Kai shook his head and began to eat.

**Tala P.O.V**

Well, here I am. Stuck in another shit day, eating the same shit food. I groaned as I saw someone enter the cafeteria.

"Don't look now guys, but here comes the Ice Prince."

"Great." Ian drawled sarcastically.

"Who's the girl walking with him?" Spencer asked.

"Probably the new recruit Boris told us about." Bryan replied in a flat tone.

I watched the girl sit down, say something to Kai and then begin to eat.

"Enjoy your food guys, I'm going to go and hunt down my next victim."

Ian followed my gaze to the new girl. "Good luck." He said.

"Don't need it." I shot back.

**Normal P.O.V**

Kai looked up for some unknown reason, saw Tala walking towards Rishka and groaned.

"What?" Rishka asked him.

"Don't look now, but someone's gonna try to pick you up."

"Huh?" Rishka said, looking confused.

"You're new here, right?" someone asked her.

Rishka turned around, swinging her legs over the bench. She raised a dark eyebrow at the speaker.

"Yeah, so what?"

The red-head smirked.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Tala. And maybe later, if you're not busy, I could give you a tour around the place. Or maybe you could give me a tour instead." Tala said slyly, brushing his fingertip along the side of Rishka's face.

Rishka grabbed Tala's finger and twisted it, causing him to cry out in pain and bring him onto his knees. Tala looked up into a pair of cold, amber-flecked brown eyes.

"Thanks for the offer, but I didn't come here to be a slut and hand out sexual favours, so go look for a screwing elsewhere." Rishka told him coldly.

Then she released Tala's finger and spun back around in her seat. Tala looked shaken, the got off the floor and walked back to his table.

Rishka closed her eyes and exhaled. When she was calm again she opened her eyes to find an amazed Kai looking at her.

"What? You don't think I know an asshole when I see one?" she said defensively.

Kai smirked and shook his head. Voltaire was right. Rishka was different.

"We should be going." Kai said, leaving the table.

Rishka got up and followed him out the cafeteria.

On the way down to the training rooms, Rishka popped some peppermint chewing gum into her mouth to get rid of the vile taste, seeing as she didn't get to brush her teeth in the morning.

She and Kai were about to turn down another corridor when he turned to face her, stopping her from walking.

"What now?"

"There's something you should know about the way they train people here."

"And that would be?"

"The trainers are harsh and rough, if you don't keep up with their expectations, they'll hurt you with whatever they can, from whipping to any form of abuse under the sun. And if you talk back, then hell knows what they'll do to you."

Rishka's face remained blank.

'Well, knowing that; might as well be dead, sounds like I'm in hell already. And if I got my mother shot in front of me by the very men that run this place, then I can surely handle the horror hidden behind that door.' She thought.

"You don't look like the kind of person to crack a joke, so I'll just say: alright then."

"Hn." Kai replied as they walked down the corridor.

When they came to a steel door, Kai opened it and the two walked in. As Kai shut the door behind them, Rishka's eyes widened. There were definitely numerous types of abuse and cruelty going on all around the room. Rishka cringed inwardly as she saw a boy younger than her cry out as a sharp leather whip slashed across his back. Rishka shivered as she witnessed the intolerable torture in the room.

The men that killed her mother weren't just some sort of sickos. They were the Sickos of sickos! Rishka shook her head, bringing herself back to the harsh reality.

"You! Over here!" a curt voice snapped at her.

Keeping a blank expression on her face, Rishka walked over to the guard that called out to her. He barked out some orders and Rishka had no choice but to obey. It wasn't until she had to do push-ups underneath a doorful of steel spikes that the trouble started. She was at the spikes, concentrating on what she was doing when a girl with amethyst purple hair and bright pink eyes came marching up to her with two girls behind her, her followers, obviously.

"Are you the girl that hurt my dear Tala?" she demanded.

"So what if I am?" Rishka asked casually, never stopping to look the girl in the eye.

She could tell by looking out the corner of her eye at the girls that from the whorelike outfits and the tons of makeup on their faces that they were big-time sluts. And she didn't have time for sluts.

"Because I'm his girlfriend and no one hurts my Tala and gets away with it!"

Rishka scoffed. "Ah, the possessive type. Well, if you're his girlfriend, answer me this, why did he try to pick me up in the cafeteria then?"

"Well, uh, h-he just has a fear of commitment, that's all."

"Phft! Yeah right! I bet 'cha he was trying to hook himself up with someone just to get you off his case!"

"He was not!"

"Please, don't make me laugh. Where'd you get your get-up from, Whores R Us?"

Through her makeup, the girl's face turned a tomato-red. Her two followers gasped in shock. No one had ever insulted Nina Sinani before.

"How dare you!" Nina glared at Rishka, talking threateningly through gritted teeth.

Rishka rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Outraged, Nina pulled out a neon-pink beyblade and launched it towards the cable holding up the spikes above Rishka. The spikes started to fall towards her, but Rishka was too quick. Rishka dropped and rolled to her right, clearing the way. Then she got back into a push-up position and pushed off the floor with her feet, went into a handstand then a backbend. Then she pushed off her hands and did 3 round-offs, landing face to face with Nina, just as the spikes crashed down behind her.

Rishka flashed a dangerous grin at Nina. "Is that the best you've got? Coz if it is, it's gonna take more than a death threat to get rid of me."

Looking scared, Nina stepped back from Rishka.

"Getting scared, are we?"

Nina remained silent as she picked up her blade. Then she stood up and glared at Rishka.

"I'm Nina Sinani. And this is Brooke," she said, gesturing to a blonde girl with ruby-red eyes, "and Abbi." She pointed to the other girl who had fiery-red hair and opal-blue eyes.

"And if you thought that was bad, you've got another thing coming!" Nina seemed happy with her threat.

"Ooh! I'm so scared! I'm shaking in my shoes!" Rishka's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Nina let out a frustrated growl and stormed away. Brooke and Abbi gave Rishka death glares before running after their leader. Then the bell sounded for the guard's break.

"I'll have to remember to thank Emily for dragging me through that gymnastics course during summer break." Rishka said to herself as she walked into the cafeteria.

She grabbed a bottle of water and an apple, found a vacant table and sat down. As she bit into her apple, Rishka heard a cold voice drawl,

"I saw you had a run in with Nina and her shadows."

Rishka scoffed. "It was the best moment of my life, not."

Kai smirked as he sat down on the bench opposite her. "That was certainly was an impressive display of skills you put on out there."

"Why thank you Kai, didn't know you were watching."

"Hn."

Rishka tossed her apple core into a nearby bin. "I take it that you don't talk much."

There was no reply. Rishka sighed.

"I'm beginning to think that you're impossible."

Kai smirked. "Oh really?"

"Yes."

"And why is that?"

"You just seem so stubborn, it's like you have this…….impossible air about you."

"Hn."

"And not to mention mysterious."

Kai opened his eyes at this comment and looked up. The two pairs of mahogany orbs locked, one pair amber-flecked, the other pair cold and threatening. Kai stared at the girl in front of him. Her eyes seemed so innocent, and slightly curious. And Kai knew that he was probably glaring at the girl, as to glare nowdays seemed as natural as breathing. Rishka's brain had completely zoned out on her. All she could do was stare into Kai's eyes, they seemed to have some sort of magnetic force that wouldn't allow her eyes to look away. Kai's eyes seemed so cold, uncaring. And held just the tiniest spark of…………..intrigue? A feeling she couldn't describe stirred inside of her.

Suddenly, the alarm rang. Kai and Rishka blinked, the eye contact broken.

"I take it that we have more training to do?"

"Hn."

"Can I take that as a yes?"

"Do what you like."

"I would, but that seems forbidden here."

"Hn."

The two walked back to the training room in silence.

**Done! Finally! Yes, um, sorry if that chapter wasn't exactly great, but the next one will be better, I promise! I morphed two chapters into one chapter with this, and would've made it 3 morphed chapters, but I haven't finished it yet (-pouts-) but hopefully these two morphed chapters make up for my far too long awaited update. Till next time! I send you all my love! **

**You/Kai fic fan**


	5. Discovering Dranzian

**Hi everybody! Yay! I got reviews! Thank you all that reviewed! Greatly appreciate and love you for it! Ta ta! Enjoy this chapter! **

**ShadedRogue:** Lol, I know what you mean, I'd probably say that too! Lol, maybe, maybe not actually, if Kai said that then hell yeah would be definite! What portrayal? Whores are whores, they should be drug out onto the street and shot, full stop!

**Moonlit Sea:** Hey! Thanks man!

**SGCred:** Heya chickiebabe! Oh, ain't it? God, I now wonder what it's like _not _to be swamped! Yes, we all like a good bit of action! Yes, probably is, (-screams-) I'm gonna have nightmares now, and I created the bloody thing! Ah well, the human mind is demented, at least that's what's been proved to me, suppose there's a certain percent that may be offended by that comment, meaning that tiny percent must be the un-demented ones. I know, neither can I, and I'm the one that's writing this bloody story! God, I love to fricken swear. Yes, as you may have noticed, I deleted one of my stories, it's just that I'm busy with these two, and a lot of other things, so it had to go. Don't worry, I'll put it back up when I've finished the other one as well as this one.

**Wind Archer:** Thanks! Glad you liked it! Yes, you'll be seeing a lot of Tala in this story, that I will tell you. I love Tala too, not as much as Kai though. Don't worry, he won't, but there are a lot of shockers in this story that you won't be expecting, I'll tell you that!

**Kinkarei:** Wow, you love my story? Gee, thanks! That's a good thing, I think. Sure, I'd love to email you spoilers and stuff, but I didn't get your email address in the review, they don't allow you to send email addresses in your reviews for some reason, so if you go to my bio and send me your email address through my email, then it'll work, sorry for any problems this may cause you.

**-Dark Phoenix Angel Nami-:** Well then, ok…did you ask me any questions? Coz I forget! I do that a lot you know, forget things, like to update quick. But I'm doing that now! Ta for the comment, will try, but as my MSN user name says, Burn In Hell Algebra!

**Forfirith The dark angel:** I know, they're everywhere! In your school, on the street, in the alleyway, on TV, in the pub, the bar, their ads are in the newspaper, you just can't get away from them! Lol, just giving you a little joke, though it's a true one, if I may point that out. Yes, they have a lot of things coming. Hey, it's not his fault! Blame Boris, he's the one that cyberised the poor guy!

**Moonlight Kitten:** Hey! Aw, that's ok, I know that you've been busy! Did they! Those bitches. Well, at least you're the smart one! That's ok, I know that the previous chapter wasn't my personal best, but what this one has in store just may be better, whether or not it is, you'll have to tell me. Ooh! You got my letter! Yay! I'll be patient for your reply. You can wait no longer, the chapter is here!

**HeartlessDevil:** Hey, new reviewer! Thanks for that, and your review.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Beyblade. Do own my OC's and their bit-beasts.

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter Five: Discovering Dranzian**

**Normal P.O.V**

As the two roommates walked towards the training room, they were deep in thought.

**Kai P.O.V**

'Rishka's a lot stronger than I thought. No wonder Voltaire and Boris wanted her in the Abbey. I wonder how good her blading skills are?'

I glanced at the girl beside me. She had already made some dangerous enemies, and Grandfather said I was to keep and eye on her. If she gets herself into situations worse than that, then I have my work cut out for me.

**Rishka P.O.V**

I could feel Kai watching me, so I turned my head so I could look him in the eye. Kai went slightly red and looked away. He's so mysterious. I wonder if I could ever figure him out? Speaking of figuring out, that Nina chick and company could be a real pain. Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter where you go, you still have enemies. And Tala. Sure, he looks cute, but his attitude sucks. Nina can definitely have him, I don't want anything to do with the guy! And he could be trouble too. Oh, the aggravation!

**Normal P.O.V **

The two reached the training room and reached for the door handle at the same time. When their hands touched, Kai and Rishka looked at each other in surprise. Then Rishka blushed and pulled her hand back. Kai said nothing as he opened the door. They both walked in and Kai shut the door.

"There's a free bey-dish over there." Rishka said to Kai, pointing at the spare bey-dish at the side of the room.

But Kai was more concerned about the red-head walking towards them. Kai's eyes narrowed as he hissed through gritted teeth,

"Ivanov."

"What was that?" Rishka asked.

"Nothing, want a battle?"

"Yeah, sure."

They walked towards the free bey-dish, leaving Tala with an annoyed expression on his face. Kai turned his head back slightly and caught the look on Tala's face. He smirked.

'Hm, this seems enjoyable, I'll have to remember to piss Tala off more often.' Kai thought as they arrived at the bey-dish.

The two stood opposite each other, blades ready. Rishka started the countdown.

"3."

Kai smirked. "2."

"1."

"LET IT RIP!" they shouted in unison.

The two blades, black and blue, flew into the dish and started circling each other.

"Dranzer, attack!"

Rishka's blade dodged Kai's attack. Kai's eyes widened slightly.

'She's good.' He thought.

"Dranzian, tear him apart!"

Dranzer dodged Rishka's attack and spun around the bey-dish, with Dranzian hot on her trail.

'She is really good! Hell, her blade's spinning right next to mine!'

And it was. Dranzian was now spinning right next to Dranzer.

"It's time to finish this. Dranzer, Fire Arrow!"

"Nice try Kai, but I don't go down so easily! Dranzian, Burning Amber!"

Two phoenixes burst out of their blades, spinning against each other, making sparks fly. Kai and Rishka looked up at their bit-beasts.

'No! It can't be, another phoenix?' Kai thought to himself.

'Wow, that sure is something you don't see everyday, two phoenixes.' Rishka thought, awed.

"Dranzian, attack!"

"Dranzer, attack!"

Rishka missed her target, Kai didn't.

"Ahh!" Rishka cried out in pain and stumbled backwards, as if she had been hit.

Dranzian also cried out in pain, for Dranzer had left a cut on her face. When she regained her balance and stood up properly, Kai could see that Rishka also had a cut on her face, in the exact same spot as Dranzian.

"Dranzian, crush him!" Rishka yelled.

"Dranzer, finish her off!" Kai shouted.

The two blades spun towards each other at an alarming rate. A huge explosion was the result. Kai and Rishka were sent flying through the air. Kai grunted as he hit the stone floor. He held out his hand so he could catch Dranzer. The smoke from the explosion was so thick, he couldn't see a thing. The screams of panicking kids and the ordering barks from guards filled his ears, the roar of the explosion still ringing through his head. Kai felt Dranzer hit his palm and he heard the shrill sound of the emergency alarm echo around the room.

Soon, deathly silence fell upon the room, the smoke clearing up soon after. Kai looked around the room. Not too much damage, a few chunks from the bey-dish scattered around him, some pieces had crumbled into a fine dust. The floors and walls were blackened in a few places, but nothing too serious.

When Kai dropped his gaze to look in front of him, he saw Rishka's motionless body sprawled out on the ground. Kai felt his body go cold. She couldn't be, could she? It was just a beybattle.

"R-Rishka?" Kai called out uncertainly.

**Rishka P.O.V **

Geez Louise! Our blades collided, and boom! Then all I remember before passing out was a lot of smoke everywhere, hearing a lot of screaming and yelling, flying through the air, landing with a thud, catching Dranzian, then…nothing.

**Normal P.O.V **

Kai hauled himself off the ground and ran over to Rishka.

'Please, please, please be alright.' Kai thought to himself.

He dropped onto his knees beside Rishka. Kai placed his fingertips on the side of Rishka's neck. He exhaled with relief as he felt a pulse.

'Geez, I knocked her out damn good.' Kai thought to himself.

Kai slipped one arm behind her knees and another around her waist. Then he lifted her up and carried Rishka back to their room. To his surprise, Rishka wasn't as heavy was Kai thought she'd be. But the fact that she wasn't moving in any way unnerved him a little.

When he reached their room, Kai placed her gently down on her bed. There was nothing much Kai could do. Rishka didn't have any major cuts, just a few light bruises. Kai removed her launcher from her hand and placed it on her bedside table. When he turned back to Rishka's unconscious form, the sight before his eyes completely shocked him.

A miniature form of Rishka's Dranzian was hovering over her face. It ran its beak over the cut on her face. And the cut healed. As if there wasn't a cut there in the first place.

'Holy crap! That's freaky shit!' Kai thought frantically.

He watched in amazement as Dranzian let out a cry and flew up and down over Rishka's body, spreading out some sort of amber-coloured light over her, before returning to its blade. Which Kai discovered on a closer inspection, looked a lot like his, except it was black and had a red attack ring. Kai watched wide-eyed as the bruises disappeared. He put Rishka's beyblade next to her launcher.

Then Kai kneeled down beside Rishka's bed, folded his arms on it and rested his head sideways on his arms, looking at her feet. Kai wished that Rishka would wake up. Then he might be able to shake away the worrying feeling eating away at him on the inside. The last time Kai had seen anyone with injuries like Rishka's was his mother. The guards had come to take him away from her, but his mother had put up a fight. Thought of that memory and the pain of it was unbearable.

Kai felt water spill over his face. He blinked; eyes slightly wide in surprise, mouth open a tiny fraction in shock. He was crying. Kai blinked again and growled in frustration as he wiped his tears away with the back of his hand, anger written on his face. He was brought up to think that emotions were for the weak. And Kai Hiwatari was anything but weak. Crying was not an option for him. As Kai continued to swipe away his tears furiously, they seemed to multiply and fall faster. Kai growled lowly as he continued to battle with the miniature waterfalls his eyes had created.

Kai jolted as he felt gentle fingers run through his hair. He gasped in surprise and turned towards the person. It was Rishka! Kai hadn't noticed that she had woken up and got off the bed to kneel beside him, due to the fact that his eyes were covered by his hands most of the time as he tried to stop his eyes spilling over with tears, without much success. Realising that tears were still running down his face, Kai looked down at the floor, angry and ashamed that he had shown emotions. Kai twitched slightly as he felt Rishka's cool fingers slide under his chin and tilt his head upwards, so that she could look him in the eye. Kai wanted so bad to look away from those captivating eyes, but he couldn't. His mind and body had frozen, unabling him to move. So he found himself lost in Rishka's gaze. The look in them wasn't pity or sympathy, like he expected (and would've hated) for it to be. But another emotion. One that Kai couldn't quite put his finger on, but it was one he didn't mind seeing. Rishka looked calm as she brushed Kai's tears away.

"Kai, why are you crying?"

Kai finally found it in him to look away from those amber-flecked eyes.

"Hn. None of your business." Kai muttered coldly.

Rishka remained unfazed as she dabbed the rest of the moisture off Kai's cheeks.

"You're right. It's not any of my business. It was quite a personal question, the choice of whether or not to answer is up to you."

Kai blinked and looked back up at Rishka, taken aback. If there was going to be a reply to his cold statement, that was certainly the last thing he had expected to hear. But it had triggered a curiosity inside of him.

"How did your bit-beast do that?"

"Do what?"

"That freaky light-show."

"Dranzian is the phoenix of healing."

"The phoenix of healing?" Kai repeated.

"Yeah, different, I know. And speaking of healing, that's a nasty bruise on you jawbone." Rishka commented, slowly running a feather-light fingertip along Kai's jaw, sending a tingling surge through his nerves.

"Huh?" Kai reached up with a hand to touch his jaw and winced.

Rishka removed his hand gently. "I can fix that."

Kai's eyes widened as he saw a soft amber glow surround her right hand. As Rishka inched towards him, Kai inched back.

"What are you doing?" Kai breathed, never taking his eyes off the glowing hand.

"It won't hurt, I promise." Rishka assured Kai sincerely.

Kai looked into her eyes. He knew that Rishka was telling the truth. Rishka softly brushed her amber fingers up and down Kai's bruised jawbone. It felt surreal to him. Rishka's touch was warm, smooth and feather-light. When she was done, Rishka smiled and removed her hand. It was no longer glowing amber.

"H-how did you do that?" Kai asked, stunned.

"Do what?" Rishka asked with a knowing smile.

"That healing thing."

"My father said that it comes from my mother's side of the family. It's some sort of gift, my mother had it as well, I think it has something to do with Dranzian being a family heirloom."

"Oh."

After a short stretch of silence, Rishka spoke again.

"Kai?" she asked in a hesitant voice.

"Hm?"

"You won't tell anyone, will you? Only my family knows about this."

"Don't worry about it. No one would believe me if I told them, even if I did waste my breath on other people, I wouldn't go around having them think I was some kind of nutter that tells crazy stories."

Rishka smiled wryly. "Right. Thanks, I suppose."

"Hn. Don't mention it. Ever."

"Yes sir!" Rishka yawned, then swayed a little. She fell forward, her head hitting Kai's chest. Kai looked down at her, the expression on his face a tad quizzical.

"You right there?"

Rishka's eyes were closed as she nodded her head. "Yes, I am." She murmured, her arms slowly snaking around Kai's waist.

Kai's eyes widened in shock, his mind and body frozen, his heart beating quicker. Rishka's arms remained around him, her head turned onto its side, her ear pressed against his chest, eyes still closed. Kai was surprised that she hadn't commented about his abnormally fast and loud booming heartbeat. Kai swore to himself that he could hear the boom echo around the room, or was it just the roar of his blood circulating his body that he could hear?

It took Kai a few minutes to realise that the girl was asleep. Kai slowly lifted his arms up and placed his hands on Rishka's shoulders, sort of returning the hug in his own way. Then, being as careful as possible, Kai lifted Rishka up and placed her on her bed again. Then he removed her shoes, tucked the blanket under her chin and exited, silently closing the door behind him.

Later on, after night had fallen long ago, Kai stumbled back into their room, covered in cuts and bruises, dry and fresh blood smeared on his skin. Kai bit his lip, forcing back the urge to wince in pain, as some cuts stretched with every step he took. Kai cleaned himself as best he could, changed his clothes and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, despite the stinging pangs his wounds were giving him.

**Oh god yes! Finally done! I can't really think of anything to put here, except for review, pretty please. **


	6. The Nightmare

**Hey guys! I know it's been a long time since I've updated, especially when it comes to this story. Well, at the moment, I'm kinda stuck in the middle of my soon-to-be-posted OFN chapter. So, while I figure out how to finish that, I decided to post a new chapter of this story! Hope you all enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: **No, I don't own Beyblade. I only own my OC's and the bit-beasts you don't recognize from the show.

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter Six: The Nightmare**

**2222222222**

Rishka shivered. She had been here many times before. It wasn't a place she enjoyed or liked at all. She shivered again. The atmosphere was cold, the air frosty. Rishka couldn't see a thing. It was all just a black nothingness, a dark, empty void. She reached out with a hand and came in contact with something hard. A wall, it had to be a wall. Rishka continued to pat the wall as she walked forward slowly, being careful not to trip on any hidden traps the dark had in store. She blinked as she saw something in the distance.

'_Light!' _she thought instantly.

And it was, it was light. The tiny pinpoint seemed to pulsate, then glow brighter, growing bigger at the same time. The light became so unbearable that Rishka had to raise her arm in front of her, shielding her eyes from the intense brightness. But even that wasn't enough, so she squeezed her eyes shut.

Soon, Rishka opened her eyes and found that the light had toned down, but when she saw the scene in front of her, she wished immediately that she had kept them shut. She saw her mother, beautiful as always, just as she had slightly remembered her. Her mother looked sad, Rishka figured that it was probably because she missed her husband badly.

Suddenly, Voltaire and his guards burst in out of nowhere. Rishka heard a lot of shouting, but couldn't make out what was being said. Then Rishka saw a purple-haired man pull the trigger on his gun. She tried to run and push her mother out of the way, but she couldn't move. She tried to scream, but no sound would come out. She could only watch, stricken with despair as she watched her mother fall to the ground, clothes blood-stained. Rishka saw her mother's blood being spat everywhere as more shots were fired. Tears pricked Rishka's eyes. It was awful. Those men shot at her mother continuously, even though she was dead, body lifeless. And they smiled, villainously as if they thoroughly enjoyed it. The sadistic bastards.

Rishka couldn't do anything but watch. She was helpless. Suddenly, the scene switched. This time, Rishka saw her father.

He was sitting on the couch in the living room back at home. He was….crying. Rishka wanted so bad to run over to him and give him a hug, she missed him so much. But Rishka found that she still couldn't move or speak. Then, as with her mother, Rishka saw someone burst into the room. But this time, it was just Voltaire, no one else. Rishka saw her father stand up, face angry. She saw her father yell at Voltaire, but couldn't hear him. Voltaire just smiled evilly, withdrew a gun and pulled the trigger. Rishka screamed as she saw her father fall to the ground dead, his blood splattered onto the carpet, walls and his lifeless body. Rishka was about to run and hit Voltaire, but the scene changed again.

This time, Rishka didn't recognize her surroundings. It was dark. There was a light on, but it was very dim. The room was made of stone, like a dungeon.

'_Actually, I think it **is** a dungeon!' _Rishka thought, bewildered.

There were chains on the walls, the kind that lock onto peoples wrists and ankles. When Rishka looked behind her, she saw what looked like jail cells. When Rishka turned back around, she saw Kai standing a few feet in front of her.

'_What's Kai doing here?' _Rishka thought to herself.

Rishka called out to him, but as before, no sound escaped her mouth. Then Voltaire appeared behind him. Before Rishka could cry out a warning, or try to, Voltaire hit Kai, making him fall to the ground. Rishka's eyes widened in horror as she watched Voltaire repeatedly beat Kai, again and again. Rishka saw the pain and fear in Kai's mahogany brown eyes. Kai was biting his lip, as if forbidding himself to scream. By now, he was covered in bruises, scratches and cuts. Small puddles of blood littered the stone floor. Rishka tried to scream at Voltaire to stop, she tried to run over to Kai and help him, but some sort of invisible force seemed to be holding her back and covering her mouth.

Rishka found that she couldn't even hear a damn thing. But she didn't have to, she could see what was going on. Voltaire was laughing, Kai was wincing in pain. Rishka saw Voltaire pull out a gun from his pocket. Rishka started to kick, hit and scream like mad, but it was no use. Rishka scrunched her eyes shut as Voltaire pulled the trigger. She knew what was going to happen next and she didn't want to see it.

**22222222222**

Rishka awoke, gasping for air. Remembering her dream, she sat up fast. When she saw that Kai was sound asleep in his bed, she heaved a sigh of relief. She looked away from him and rubbed her eyes.

'_Bloody hell! I feel dead! What time is it?' _

Rishka blinked and peered at her clock 1:50 am.

"Fuck!" Rishka breathed, slightly amazed.

Rishka stumbled out of her bed and dropped onto the floor in front of her beside drawer. She pulled out the second drawer and groggily pulled out a change of clothes, then staggered into the bathroom sleepily.

Rishka soon emerged from the bathroom, wearing an electric blue long sleeved top that came close to showing all of her shoulders and dark green cargos that hung around her hips. Rishka walked over to the window as she brushed her slightly damp, tangled hair, transforming it to parallel-straight.

When Rishka was done, she placed her hairbrush next to her as she kneeled on the window-seat, staring out at the view in front of her. The Abbey was an isolated place surrounded by forest. Snow covered the ground and trees, heavy fog could be seen in the early morning twilight. Rishka's eyes darted to the top of the window. Outside, jagged, crystalline icicles had formed, dangling down from the top of the window. Rishka shifted her gaze back to the snow-covered forest. This was her prison, her nightmare-come-alive, her hell. But suppose sometimes even hell could be beautiful?

"Yes." Rishka whispered to herself.

"Hell can be beautiful."

Rishka continued to sit at the window, staring at what lay outside as the dimly-lit morning slowly brightened.

**2222222222**

Kai found himself in the forest. It was weird, Kai didn't know why he was there, but his feet seemed to know where they were going. It was getting dim, so Kai knew he must be traveling deep into the forest. He stopped and saw Rishka standing a few feet in front of him.

'_Why is she here?' _Kai thought.

Kai felt his body go numb at what he saw next. Tala was sneaking up behind Rishka with a massive dagger in one of his hands. Tala had a possessed, insane look on his face as he raised the hand holding the dagger in it.

"Rishka, look out behind you!" Kai screamed.

Rishka turned around, but it was too late. Tala brought his hand down, dagger striking Rishka's heart. Rishka gasped in pain as she looked at the dagger embedded into her chest and then at Tala.

"NO!" Kai screamed as she hit the ground.

As Kai ran towards her, Rishka disappeared.

"No! Rishka, where'd you go?"

Tala laughed. Kai turned to face him, filled with anger.

"What the hell did she ever do to you!"

"Oh, no! Does the almighty Ice Prince have feelings for a girl?" Tala taunted.

"Where did she go Tala!"

"Ha! As if you didn't know. She's with the angels now."

"You bastard!"

"Call me whatever you want Hiwatari. I'll be getting the last laugh in the end."

"What the fuck are you talking about!"

"Voltaire won't be too pleased with you, letting a friend of the family being murdered, it was your job to keep an eye on her."

"No." Kai's voice was barely audible.

"It's your fault she died, you're a poison Kai, everyone that comes near you will die, and you're the cause of their death!" Tala's icy blue eyes glinted viciously as he spoke.

"No! Rishka, come back! Please come back!"

Tala's cruel laughter echoed through the dark forest.

**2222222222**

"Kai, wake up!"

Kai's mahogany orbs snapped open. He could feel his chest heaving up and down, due to the fact he was breathing heavily.

'_A nightmare, it was all just a nightmare.'_ Kai thought, relief washing over him.

Kai groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"What time is it?" Kai mumbled.

"3:30." Rishka replied.

"Fucking fantastic." Kai grumbled, sitting up.

"Oh, I, it is-Aah!" Rishka stopped in mid-sentence, eyes widened in shock.

"What?" Kai asked as he looked at the girl sitting on the edge of his bed, slightly alarmed.

"What the hell happened to you!" Rishka exclaimed, voice filled with horror as her eyes locked on Kai's bare torso.

Kai blinked and looked down at his chest, then understood what she was talking about. When he had sat up, the blanket had fallen off his upper body, exposing his wounds.

"Nothing." Kai replied, then mentally slapped himself, realizing how stupid he would've sounded.

"Nothing? Bullshit!"

"Hn."

"You're not a very good liar, Kai."

"Humph."

Rishka sighed and rolled her amber-flecked eyes slightly.

"Come on, stand up." Rishka said, taking Kai's wrist in her hand, tugging at it gently.

"Why?" Kai asked, confused.

"Because I said so, that's why!" Rishka snapped.

Kai sensed that it was best not to argue and got out of bed. Rishka placed her hands on Kai's shoulders, making him stand in front of her.

"Stay." Rishka muttered, not looking at him.

Kai raised an eyebrow at the 'order'.

Rishka exhaled softly as she placed her right hand over her heart and her left hand over Kai's heart. With her face tensed in concentration, Rishka closed her eyes. Kai gasped silently as he saw the hand on his chest glow amber. The hand on Rishka's chest also started to glow amber, but pulsated, like a heartbeat.

Kai swore that he could hear the sound of two heartbeats pounding in his ears, though the room was silent. Kai's eyes widened in awe as five, thin, ribbon-like streamers of amber light emerged from Rishka's fingertips, coiling their way around his upper body. Kai felt a pleasant, warm surge flow through his body as he watched his bruises and cuts heal in the wake of the amber snakes of light.

Soon, the amber glow dimmed, then vanished completely. Rishka opened her eyes, the hand above her heart no longer pulsating.

"That will have to do." She murmured, dropping her hands down to her sides.

Kai frowned slightly as he noticed the wary look in Rishka's eyes, the usually glistening amber flecks in her eyes dull.

"Hey, are you ok?" Kai asked, the tone of his voice free of iciness.

Rishka swayed a little, so Kai placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her. Rishka glanced up into Kai's mahogany orbs for a moment, then quickly lowered her glance to the floor so she wouldn't be held captive by them.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Healing drains your energy, that's all."

"It drains you to heal people?"

"Yeah." Rishka nodded, still looking at her feet as if she found them fascinating.

"Then why did you do it?" Kai asked, face showing a little confusion.

Rishka looked up and the two pairs of mahogany eyes clashed.

"Because you needed it." Rishka replied, as if it were the most well-known thing in the world.

Kai's eyes widened slightly at the answer.

"B-because I needed it?" he repeated.

Rishka nodded her head again.

"Yeah. And besides, the more I practice, the more used to it I get. So you can be my little crash-test dummy." Rishka added with a tiny smile.

"Hn." Kai replied, letting go of her shoulders, turning away and closing his eyes.

Rishka grinned at Kai's reaction and walked back over to her bedside table, grabbed a hair elastic and begun to work her hair into a ponytail.

'_But healing has its limits. And I have a feeling that you've got wounds that run deep Kai, and it's gonna take more than some amber light to heal the hurt those wounds have.' _Rishka thought as she finished tying up her hair.

Rishka ran her hands over her head, checking for bumps in her hair. When she found none, Rishka grabbed her blade and launcher, stuffed them into her pockets and headed out, shutting the door behind her.

Kai, who had been watching her every move the entire time, shook his head to clear it and started to get ready, finding his mind lingering on what had happened before.

**222222222**

Meanwhile, Rishka had made her way down to the cafeteria. She was about to go and collect her food, when another spell of dizziness hit her. Rishka groaned softly as she raised a hand to her head, staggering back. Rishka felt two strong arms coil around her waist and pull her back, causing her back to press against the person's hard chest.

"Well, well, well, isn't this nice?" a slightly familiar voice sneered in her ear.

Rishka shuddered as she felt the person's breath clash on her skin. Rishka turned her head as much as she could and growled at the sight of the redhead.

"Maybe for you, Tala." Rishka said angrily, clutching Tala's wrists in her hands as she tried to pry his arms off her waistline.

Tala chuckled slightly as he tightened his grip.

"Let me go Tala." Rishka growled as she continued with her attempts to be rid of him.

"One would be a fool to let go of such a precious being." Tala said smoothly, his mouth a hair's breadth away form her ear.

Rishka stopped clawing away at Tala's limbs when the message registered through her brain, shock and surprise clearly showing on her face.

Tala smirked when he saw this, then decided to press further. Tala moved down to the bare skin of Rishka's shoulder and softly brushed his lips over her tender skin, stopping at the crook of her neck. Rishka's eyes widened and she inhaled sharply, stunned by Tala's sudden move. Then Rishka got past her shock and growled.

"Get away from me Tala!" Rishka hissed, restarting to claw away at Tala's arms again.

Tala chuckled as he tightened his grip even more, pressing his chest firmly against Rishka's back.

"No, I don't think I want to." Tala hissed in Rishka's ear.

Rishka growled softly as she scanned the room. Not everybody was in the cafeteria yet, but there were quite a few people. No one really bothered to take much notice, as Tala had hit on many girls in public before. The pair of guards in the room didn't attempt to pull Tala off Rishka, they just stood in their place, besides, they were being entertained.

But there was a group of three girls watching, and it was those three pairs of prying eyes that caught Rishka's attention. Especially the pair that was a shade of ghastly neon pink, glaring menacingly at her. Rishka smirked as an idea formed in her mind. Tala blinked his icy blue eyes in surprise as he felt Rishka relax and lean into him. Rishka tilted her head back on Tala's broad shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"We've got an audience."

Tala followed her gaze and groaned when he saw Nina.

"Great, another day ruined." Tala muttered darkly.

Rishka chuckled. Tala turned his head and looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. Rishka craned her neck slightly as she whispered in his ear again.

"Work with me."

Tala opened his mouth to ask a question, but was silenced as Rishka started to trail kisses underneath his jaw. Tala's mouth widened slightly in shock, then he glanced over at Nina and smirked. Tala brushed his hands up and down Rishka's waist, then moved his hands down to the hem of her top. Slowly, Tala moved his hands under Rishka's top, brushing his hands over the smooth skin of her stomach. Rishka shivered lightly, then smirked triumphantly when she saw that Nina was fuming with rage. Tala groaned softly as Rishka's kisses moved up his jaw and stopped at his earlobe. Tala bowed his head as he started to kiss Rishka's shoulder.

Rishka stopped what she was doing and leaned her head back on Tala's shoulder, twitching slightly as his hands brushed over her sensitive areas on her stomach. Rishka looked over at Nina and smirked. She may not have liked letting Tala touch her, but it was so worth it, just taking in the priceless expression on Nina's face. Rishka lifted a hand and wiggled her fingers at Nina and her friends in a wave.

This was where Nina snapped. She stood up from the table, storming off towards the exit, mad as hell. She shot Rishka a death-glare before slamming the door. Tala stopped kissing Rishka's shoulder and turned his gaze to the slammed door, smirking. Brooke and Abbi exchanged a nervous glance with each other, then got up and started to head for the exit. Brooke and Abbi shot Rishka glares before leaving the cafeteria.

Rishka stopped leaning against Tala and threw his arms off her immediately.

"Ew, gross!" Rishka spat as she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, then started to rub the shoulder that Tala kissed furiously.

"But I thought…." Tala said slowly, trailing off in mid-sentence.

"You thought wrong! Very wrong! I only did that to get that bitch out of my face!"

Tala looked a tad shocked, his mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Rishka sneered.

Tala finally got a hold of himself and gave Rishka an icy glare.

Rishka's lips curled in a dangerous smirk as she got her food and sat at an empty table.

**22222222**

Meanwhile, there was a person hiding in the dark shadows near the entrance door, his blood boiling in anger, fists shaking by his sides. A soft growl sounded from Kai's throat as he gritted his teeth, trying to get his emotions under control. The moment he had opened the door, the first thing Kai had seen was Tala with Rishka in his arms, whispering something in her ear. Kai had kept himself in the shadows as he watched the scene unfold, unfamiliar feelings of anger and jealousy tearing him up inside. Kai was just on the verge of snapping when Rishka had pushed Tala away. Seeing that had calmed Kai down a bit, though his head was still pounding.

'_What's happening to me? Why am I so uptight about this?' _Kai thought as he leaned against the cold, stone wall, letting its icy numbness press into his back.

'_Rishka was only doing that to get on Nina's nerves, she said so herself, hell, everyone in the room knew she said that.' _Kai exhaled and closed his eyes, trying to calm down completely.

Kai breathed deeply as he opened his eyes again, feeling calm, his blood pressure back to normal, fists no longer shaking. Kai pushed himself off the wall and stepped out of the shadows, continuing his way into the cafeteria. Kai got his food then walked over to the table Rishka was at and took a seat.

"Quite a show you put on back there." Kai stated in his usual cold tone.

Rishka choked slightly and her amber-flecked eyes bulged a tad. Kai smirked at her reaction. Rishka's eyes returned to their normal size as she got her choking under control and managed to swallow her food.

"You saw that?"

"Hn. Everyone in the room did."

"Well, if you single out everyone except Nina, then that was the idea."

Kai let out a slight chuckle as he smirked. Rishka propped her chin in the palm of her hand and sighed contentedly.

"Ah, revenge is sweet."

Kai smirked again as he continued to eat.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"How am I feeling?" Kai repeated curiously.

"Yeah, you see, I'm not so good at my 'gift' yet, so it may not have worked completely, you know, you might still feel a sting in some places and have a few red marks left from your cuts."

"Hn, don't worry about me, I'm feeling fine."

"Oh well, that's good, I guess."

"Hn."

Rishka sighed as she continued to eat.

**222222222**

After breakfast, it was time for training. Rishka was standing at a bey-dish alone, practicing intensely. But somehow, her thoughts kept on wondering away from her training and over to Kai.

'_How did he get so badly beat up? He was fine when I last saw him, so that means Kai must've been given his whooping after I passed out. But why? And who?'_

Rishka saw Dranzian begin to falter. Rishka snapped out of her thoughts and concentrated on her beyblade completely. Her wandering thoughts had started to affect Dranzian. Not a good sign. And after what she had seen happen to some other kids, Rishka didn't really want to catch any guard's attention.

Rishka held out her hand, calling silently for Dranzian. Dranzian did a slight reverse spin in the dish before snapping back into Rishka's hand. Rishka had noticed for a while that she needed to work on her launch. Rishka worked on her launch for quite a while before she heard an annoyingly familiar voice shout out.

"Hey you!"

Rishka rolled her eyes. It was that Nina chick. Nina kept on shouting at Rishka until she got irritated, caught Dranzian and spun around to face her.

"Look, I'm busy right now, can I ignore you some other time?" Rishka snapped at Nina.

Rishka saw Brooke and Abbi gasp in shock. The entire room fell silent. Apparently, no one had ever been rude to this slut before.

'_Well welcome to the 21st century!' _Rishka thought sarcastically.

"Are you deaf, or did you just not hear me?"

"Oh, I heard you the first time, I was just ignoring you."

Under her thickly layered makeup, Rishka could see Nina's face turn a dark purple. Rishka smirked. It seemed as if every girl in the whole fricken joint worshipped Nina by kissing her arse. Rishka had never kissed anyone's arse before, and she wasn't about to start now.

"Well, speak up, you're wasting my time."

"I saw your battle with Kai yesterday."

"So what?"

"I challenge you to a battle! You drew with Kai, so you must be decent competition."

"Then don't you think it would be a waste of time battling decent competition against no competition?"

"How dare you!"

Nina's face was on fire and the vein near her right eye looked like it was going to explode. Rishka snickered. This was very entertaining.

"However, I accept your challenge. As if it ever was a challenge in the first place. When do you want it to happen?"

"Right here, right now." Nina hissed angrily.

"I'm gonna get you back for stealing Tala away from me!"

Rishka smirked.

"Got jealous, did you?"

Nina growled furiously.

"You will pay for what you did!"

Rishka rolled her eyes, looking extremely bored.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Are you just gonna waste my time by babbling or can we just get this beybattle over with? The sooner I wipe the dish with you, the better!"

Nina growled angrily, pink eyes ablaze with rage, hands trembling dangerously as she readied her blade.

"You'll be sorry for ever setting foot in Balkov Abbey by the time I'm done with you, that you can be sure of!"

"Hn, sure." Rishka replied with casual carelessness.

'_Though it's too late for that Nina. I felt sorry for setting foot in Balkov Abbey the moment I walked through the gate.'_

The girls stared each other down icily, the tension brewing between them filling the air. Then the countdown began.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"LET IT RIP!" they screamed in unison.

The two different beyblades, coal black and neon pink flew into the bey-dish and began to attack each other fiercely at once.

"So, you try to talk tough Nina? You better hope for your sake that you can blade tougher than you try to talk!"

"Ha! You don't scare me!"

"Hn, maybe not now. But I will! Dranzian!" Rishka cried, summoning the amber coloured phoenix from the black blade.

There was a bright burst of amber coloured light as Dranzian arose from the blade, emitting a hawk-like cry as she did so. A few onlookers stared up in awe at the sight of the brilliant phoenix. One of those people was Nina, but she was quick to dispose of her shock and wasted no time in summoning her own bit-beast.

"Purina!" Nina shouted, determination surprisingly showing through all the makeup slathered onto her face.

There was a bright flash of neon pink light from Nina's beyblade as a massive surreal looking pink and lavender tiger emerged from Nina's bit-chip. Rishka stared up at the large cat as it emitted a loud, deafening roar. Nina did have an impressive bit-beast, that Rishka could admit. But that wasn't going to stop her from kicking Nina's arse.

"Dranzian! Burning Amber!" Rishka commanded, going straight in for the kill.

"Purina! Rhinestone Claw!" Nina cried out in defense.

The surreal tiger yowled loudly as it raised a paw. Its claws grew 3 times larger than normal and glowed an angry pink. Purina pounced forward and slashed at Dranzian. The amber phoenix cried out in pain as the attack caught her right wing, causing some feathers to fly.

Rishka hissed in pain and clutched her upper right arm. She knew that she would have a wound identical to Dranzian's on her arm when she checked. Nina attacked again.

"Purina! Take her out while you've got the chance!"

The tiger roared as it obeyed.

"Dranzian! Dodge the attack and hit her from behind! Then use Burning Amber again!"

Dranzian let out a bird cry as she attacked. Nina's pink beyblade flew out of the dish and clacked to a stop at her feet. Rishka heard Brooke and Abbi gasp in shock. The entire room fell silent. Tension was heavy in the air. Rishka held out her hand and caught Dranzian flawlessly.

"Next time, try not to be so sure of victory. It'll just hurt that much more when you're put back in place." Rishka advised the amethyst haired girl, a slight grit noticeable in her voice.

Slowly, Nina picked up her blade and pocketed it. When she straightened, her bright pink eyes met Rishka's mahogany amber-flecked ones. They were glaring coldly, an icy anger held in them.

"For this, you shall pay." Nina hissed, the tone of her voice deadly.

Two guards walked up to Nina, yanked her arms behind her back and then led her out of the room. Some of the kids exchanged fearful glances. They were wondering how severe Nina's punishment would be for her loss of the battle. And the battle had been over so quickly too. Would that worsen Nina's punishment?

"Hey, no one told you to stop your training! Get back to work!" one of the guards snarled.

As Rishka launched her beyblade again, she caught a glance of Abbi and Brooke's eyes. The look she saw sent a small, sharp pang through her heart. The pairs of ruby red and opal blue eyes had the same emotions. There was no anger or resentment, but there was fear, grief and the look of a person lost. Rishka shuddered slightly as she concentrated on her beyblade.

She didn't know what was going to happen to Nina, but she knew that she ought to be careful. Nina said she was going to pay, and Rishka wasn't about to underestimate that threat. It would either be her followers that did the dirty work or maybe she would hand out a month's worth of her "special services" to a group of desperate, yet ruthless beybladers. Who really knew? It was clear that the whole "anything goes", "rules are: there are no rules" was in play here.

"And since you all slacked off without being given the permission to stop, you'll all do an extra 6 hours of training! If I hear one complaint or have one person show signs of weakening, then that time will double, for each and every one of you!" the guard snarled.

Rishka shuddered and tried to focus entirely on her blade. She wanted to piss bolt out of the place and never come back. She wanted to go back to school and her friends. She wanted her own bedroom back and the taste of her dad's cooking. More than anything, she just wanted to go home.

**222222222**

Late that night, after their training had finally finished, Rishka and Kai were way too tired to fight over who was showering first. Rishka showered first, and Kai followed after. Then they crawled into their beds and collapsed under their blankets. Both stared up at the ceiling tiredly, knowing that sleep would consume them in very few minutes.

"You should be careful from now on, you know." Kai suddenly said.

"Hm?" Rishka replied softly as she closed her eyes.

"Well, Nina will be worse now that you've well done pissed her off. She'll get her cousin to deal with you, and he's not exactly the friendliest person."

"Humph!" was Rishka's half asleep reply.

Kai sighed as he rolled over onto his side.

'_Don't say I didn't warn you.' _Kai thought before he fell asleep.

**2222222222**

Meanwhile, in the dark shadows of one of the Abbey's cold stone tunnels, two people were having a conversation.

"You're lucky that you're my cousin, Sinani, had you been anyone else, I would have you half dead within seconds." Bryan snarled.

Nina rolled her eyes.

"Whatever Bryan, you know you'd be punished by Boris if you harmed me."

"Oh, really? I think I'd be doing him a favour, Biovolt shouldn't be wasting their time on no talents like you." Bryan sneered.

Nina growled.

"Shut up, Bryan! Now, you are going to help me get revenge on this girl!"

"Hn, sure. What's in it for me, doing your dirty work?"

"Now for that question, you'll have to go to Brooke for the answer. I'm sure she'll be enough to satisfy you." Nina smirked.

Bryan let out something between a growl and a sneer as his tongue ran over his top lip. His mouth twisted into a malious smirk.

"Very well, what is it that you want done, then?"

Nina let out a soft, evil laugh.

"How about role-playing the scary thing that goes bump in the night? Only this time, it will be much, much, much more real."

**2222222222**

Rishka groaned as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She blinked as she looked around the dimly lit room in confusion.

This wasn't the room she shared with Kai, it was way more done up. How did she get here? Whose room was she in?

Suddenly, a tall cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows and started to walk towards her. Rishka opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get the chance to. The stranger pinned her back down on the bed roughly and straddled her waist.

Rishka started to scream, but the stranger silenced her by covering her mouth with their large, pale, callous hand. Rishka struggled in her attempts to get away, but she just couldn't succeed. The stranger was too strong.

She beat her fists against his chest, but that didn't do anything. It just seemed to egg the cloaked person on even more. Their free hand started to wander up Rishka's singlet top. Rishka's scream was muffled. She stared up at the black opening of the hood, her eyes wide with fear.

She couldn't get away, there was no escaping this terrible fate…..

**222222222**

Rishka gasped as her eyes flew wide open. She had awakened from her nightmare. Rishka tried to sit up, but she couldn't, as her hands were tied up to the bed post.

"What the hell!" Rishka exclaimed.

Just then, Rishka heard a growl and was shoved back down roughly.

"Quiet!" the person sneered.

Rishka's eyes widened in terror as she saw that the person who spoke was straddling her hips. They were also wearing a cloak. Her nightmare had become her reality.

Rishka opened her mouth to scream, but just like in her nightmare, the person covered her mouth with a harsh hand. The cloaked stranger started to untie the drawstring of her pants with their free hand. Rishka squirmed, trying to get away.

She glared up at the dark silhouette as she opened her mouth and bit the skin between their thumb and index finger. Hard. The stranger shouted out in pain as they yanked their hand away. Rishka then screamed as loud as she could.

"Shut up!" the cloaked boy hissed.

He raised his hand. Rishka shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the painful blow. Suddenly, a royal blue beyblade shot out from the darkness, slashing at the raised hand. The boy swore as the beyblade cut his flesh and lowered his hand to suck away the blood.

Kai seemed to appear out of nowhere as he tackled the cloaked figure to the ground. Kai jerked the hood back and growled when he saw who it was. Kai curled his hand into a fist and slammed it into the person's jaw. The stranger growled threateningly and shoved Kai off them as they stood up and swiftly ran out the door.

Rishka was unable to discover who it was, as their identity was concealed by the darkness.

"Hn, that's right, you piss off." Kai muttered angrily as he stood up.

Kai walked over to the door, shut and locked it, he didn't want any more unwanted visitors. The blue-haired boy turned and walked over to Rishka's bed. Kai sat on the edge of the bed as he untied Rishka's hands.

"Are you ok? He didn't…."

Rishka sat up as she rubbed her wrists, trying to get the circulation back. She looked up at Kai. His eyes were slightly shadowed by his slate bangs, making it difficult to see what emotion they held. He had saved her. Had he not came to her aid when he did, Rishka surely would've been….

Rishka let out a shaky breath as she nodded her head.

"Yes, I'm alright…thank you, Kai."

"Hn." Was the reply.

"Who was that?" Rishka asked as she hastily tied up her drawstring pants.

"That was Nina's cousin, Bryan. And if I were you, I'd be very careful. No doubt Bryan didn't finish off what his cousin wanted, so he'll be back. And he'll keep coming back, until his job's done."

"Oh…" Rishka replied in a shaky voice.

She trembled. Having a nightmare about coming close to rape then waking up to the real thing was too much for Rishka to handle in one night. She could feel fear taking over her. Kai frowned slightly as he noticed the girl tremble.

"What is it?"

Rishka's lower lip quivered.

"Rishka?"

Rishka suddenly let out something between a gasp and a sob as she threw her arms around Kai without thinking and buried her face into his chest.

"This is so scary!" Rishka's cry was muffled by Kai's chest.

Kai's eyes had widened in shock and his body had gone rigid. Rishka's actions had caught him off guard and he didn't know what to do. Awkwardly, he patted Rishka's shoulder.

"Uh…well, you're a strong girl…you'll be fine."

"You think?" came Rishka's muffled voice.

The feeling of Rishka talking into his shirt sent an odd surge through Kai's veins.

"No, I don't think…I know."

Rishka pulled her face away from Kai's chest to look up at him.

"Really?"

"If you're going to let Nina trample all over you, then you're not as tough as I thought you were."

Rishka managed a small smile as she swiped at the tear tracks on her cheeks.

"So…you think I'm weak, huh? Well, just you wait, I'll prove you wrong!"

Kai smirked.

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Kai stood up and got back into his bed. Rishka smiled at his turned back.

"Thanks Kai."

Rishka curled herself under the covers and eventually fell asleep. Meanwhile, Kai was left wide awake, staring into space.

**22222222**

**Well, there's the very much delayed update of chap six. I hope you enjoyed it, and hopefully you'll hear from me soon, chapter-posting wise. I hope to hear from you all too, it'll be a relief if at least some of you haven't given up on me! Until next time!**

**You/Kai fic fan**


	7. Only Just Begun

**Hey all! I know it's been yonks since I lasted posted anything for this story. Well, fear not, as yours truly as stopped being a lazy cow for a few days and decided to finally update. I've been slacking off school lately, naughty, naughty, I know, but it's good that I've finally gotten this chapter written, so all my attention will be focused on my studies. Well, that's enough gibberish on my behalf, let's get on with it, shall we? **

**Disclaimer: **Thou doth not possess Beyblade, only thy OC's and alien bit beasts. (My Shakespearian's crap, I know! Don't tease me!)

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter Seven: Only Just Begun**

**222222**

In the early hours of the morning, Nina glanced up from the cafeteria table she was sitting at with Brooke and Abbi. Her bright pink eyes laid themselves on Rishka and made her blood boil. The girl with the surprising amber-flecked eyes showed no signs of being broken, sad, afraid or beaten. But then, why would she? It's not like she would have any reason to be…

**#Flashback#**

"What do you mean, you couldn't do it!" Nina hissed.

Bryan growled as he turned his head away from his cousin. In the dim light reflecting from the stone Abbey walls, a bruise could be seen starting to swell up on Bryan's jaw.

"What I mean is, I couldn't do it, because that damn Hiwatari runt interfered."

Nina growled, annoyed.

"You should have taken care of him and then gone back for the girl!"

"Hn, like that would work! The girl would've screamed her head off and getting into a brawl with Kai would've created noise. That would bring Abbey guards, and then I would be a goner."

"So!"

"So? So, if that happened, then there wouldn't be anyone to do your dirty work."

Nina scowled. Her cousin did have a point. Even if she didn't want to admit it.

"Fine. Switch to Plan B. But you will get that girl, Bryan."

"Or what?"

"Ha, you know what! Or I'll see to it that Boris rids the Abbey and Biovolt of you, that's what!"

Bryan snarled angrily at Nina, glaringly dangerously. She was a bitch. And she knew how to use that to her advantage.

"Fine." Bryan growled through gritted teeth.

**#End Flashback#**

Nina's eyes narrowed at Rishka for a moment before they flickered over to her cousin. Bryan was sitting where he sat as per usual, with the Demolition Boys, not saying a word. The bruise on his jaw had darkened considerably, making itself visible, so all could see the token of Kai's punch. At that moment, Bryan looked up and saw his cousin watching him. His eyes glinted slightly with malice as his upper lip twisted into a sneer. Then he looked away. Nina's smirk expressed pure satisfaction and confidence. She knew that she had just received Bryan's silent message.

Everything was going just how she wanted it.

Nina chuckled evilly under her breath. Brooke looked at her friend, blinking her ruby eyes.

"What is it?"

Nina's amethyst purple hair swished as she looked at the blonde next to her.

"Plan B is about to be put in motion."

The girl with hair like fire, Abbi, looked up from across the table.

"Plan B?"

"Yes." Nina's voice was like a deathly poison for ears.

"But don't you think it's a bit harsh? I mean, Bryan's scare must've been enough."

"Bryan didn't finish the job." Nina snapped.

"I know that, but still-"

"Aw, what's the matter, Abbi? Good morals and a conscience finally got you?"

"Well-"

"Why do you feel so guilty, Abbi?" Nina's eyes flashed as she hammered the girl with questions.

"I don't feel guilty-"

"No? Do you like her, Abbi? Feel sorry for the girl, perhaps?"

"I-"

"Are you on my side? Or hers?"

"Yours, of course."

"Good." Nina's smile twisted her face, making her ugly.

"Because if you ever dare to betray me, Abbienne Belle Teal Adams, I'll see to it that you get punished. And believe me, I'll make sure that it'll be much more worse than what I've got in store for that Rishka girl."

Abbi fell silent as she looked down at the table, biting her lip. Worry glistened in her opal eyes. She knew that what Nina was doing was beyond wrong, but what could she do about it? If she blabbed, then Nina would have her done for too. And then what help would she be? All Abbi could do was watch like a bystander.

'_If there's really nothing I can do…then why do I feel so bad?_' Abbi thought.

"Hey, Abbi, snap out of it!" Abbi jolted slightly at the sound of Brooke's whiny voice, then upped and left the cafeteria, trailing behind them.

**222222**

Rishka walked down the cold, dim, stone corridors of the Abbey after she left the cafeteria. She could hear her footsteps echo in her wake as she made her way towards the training room. Rishka suddenly stopped as she her ears picked up a faint noise. What had it been? A spinning beyblade? Someone's footstep? A hushed breath?

'_Stop being so paranoid!' _Rishka scolded herself before continuing to walk.

After a moment, Rishka stopped again. She had heard a noise for sure this time, and she was certain that it was a beyblade. Gradually, the noise of the spinning beyblade became louder and louder. Rishka started to walk faster, without being aware of it. Suddenly, Rishka was running, trying to escape the sound of the beyblade in pursuit if her as its echo bounced off the walls. She could almost feel the power from the beyblade radiating out towards her and trying to pound her down, like the beat of a loud, large drum.

Rishka was forced to stop in her tracks as a purple beyblade flew out in front of her, slamming into the stone wall. It had only been a hair's breadth away from Rishka's face. Rishka had to quickly jump back and shield her face with an arm as fragments of stone blew apart from the wall, the beyblade leaving a massive crack as it spun away from Rishka and disappeared up another tunnel. Rishka leaned against the wall as she tried to breathe again, legs quaking slightly. Who was trying to attack her, and why? It wasn't Nina, her beyblade was pink.

Suddenly, three beyblades shot out of separate tunnels, aiming straight towards Rishka. The girl's eyes widened at the sight of the blue, purple and lilac blurs speeding towards her. Rishka squeezed her eyes shut as she flung up her arms for protection and shrank back against the wall. The three beyblades slammed into the wall all around her, chipping out more fragments of stone and putting more cracks in the wall as they came dangerously close to Rishka. Soon, the sound of destruction stopped and Rishka slowly lowered her arms and opened her eyes as she heard the beyblades retreating. Rishka straightened as her heart pounded painfully against her ribcage. If she hadn't been scared before, then she was definitely scared now.

"Who's there?" Rishka called out, her shaky voice echoing in the deathly silence.

Slowly, dark shadows made their way out of the three tunnels. As they stepped into the torch light, Rishka saw that her three phantom attackers had been boys. The boy that had appeared from the corridor on Rishka's left was rather tall and built like a tank. Blonde hair stuck up from the light blue headband type thing he wore around his forehead. He had a square-shaped face and a very flat nose. There was something about his stern frown and cold stare that made Rishka feel extremely wary of him. Maybe because she knew that he could break her neck at any second just by the look of him.

The boy that came from the middle corridor, however, was the exact opposite. He was unbelievably short and had a large nose that was the size of Jupiter. His hair was the same colour as thunder clouds and his eyes were wine red. Green goggles were perched on top of his head. Rishka's instincts told her that the midget was irritating as well as dangerous.

Now there was the boy on her right. He came very close to resembling a ghost. His skin was so pale that it nearly looked like snow. His eyes and hair were the same shade of pale lavender. The tall boy glared at Rishka. His mouth was twisted into an intimidating and threatening sneer. It was then that Rishka noticed the dark bruise on the boy's jaw. It stuck out like a sore thumb against his pale skin. Rishka knew that this boy had to be the one called Bryan, Nina's cousin. The one that Kai had warned her about.

Rishka tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She had a bad feeling…an extremely monstrous bad feeling. Automatically, the boys raised their launchers, pointing them at Rishka. They looked like weapons. Guns, to be exact. Rishka felt her knees buckle. She knew what was going to happen next. And she couldn't do a thing to stop it. Her limbs were frozen with shock. There was no way Rishka could grab her own beyblade to defend herself. Even if she could, Rishka didn't think she'd last that long. Not three against one. Rishka held her breath and closed her eyes, bracing herself as the three boys launched their blades. She emitted tiny cries of pain as the beyblades repeatedly hit her body. Soon, Rishka's legs gave out beneath her and she fell onto her knees.

"Wyborg!"

"Seaborg!"

"Falborg!"

It was then that Rishka felt it. Ferocious waves of a stormy sea crashing upon her, the poisonous venom of a snake coursing through her body, the feel of the deadly reptile coiling around her, suffocating her. And then there was wind, lots of it. Fierce as a hurricane and as sharp as razors, cutting through her skin. That was all Rishka remembered before she blacked out and slumped to the floor.

The boys held out their hands and their beyblades snapped back into them immediately. Their job was done. Silently, they left, disappearing down the tunnel, leaving the unconscious girl in fetal position.

**222222**

When Rishka finally awoke, she found herself enveloped in darkness. She squeezed her eyes shut and winced as she suddenly became aware of the numbing pain that consumed her entire body. Rishka soon opened her eyes once more, blinking in the blackness of the cold room. She didn't know where she was, and she didn't really care.

**/Dranzian…where are you/** Rishka's attempt to communicate with her bit beast was weak.

**/Right here with you, Mistress/** Dranzian's voice was a soft soothing echo in her mind.

Rishka could feel the warm glowing aura of her bit beast in her pocket. She wanted to reach for Dranzian and hold her in her hand, but she just didn't have the energy to. Not just yet. After what felt like an age, Rishka was able to muster just enough strength to reach into her pocket and take out her beyblade. Her bit-chip glowed amber for a brief moment as Rishka dropped her arm to the floor. Rishka closed her eyes, in an attempt to concentrate. When a soft hum met her ears, Rishka slowly opened her eyes. Her hand was glowing amber, just. It was all the girl could remember before she blacked out.

At various times, Rishka would awaken in the darkness, only to find that the amber glow brightened each time and that it traveled further up and along her body. Despite this healing process, Rishka still felt as worn as ever. She continued to fall in and out of conscious, losing track of time, as it was unknown to her in this dark icy room. All Rishka could do was sleep, hoping for her usual energy to return and for someone to let her out of this lonely prison. Yet, at the same time, Rishka hoped that no one would come, so she could stay safe and just sleep.

**222222**

Rishka's eyes flew wide open as the sound of a steel door scraping open met her ears. From the dim light that filtered into her temporary room, Rishka knew that it was her door that had been opened. Hastily, she shoved Dranzian back into her pocket. Rishka knew that her energy had been restored enough, but she still felt drowsy, most likely from lack of food. Rishka tried to stand up, but couldn't. Her legs were stiff and had fallen asleep from not being in use for however long she had been here. Rishka heard an impatient growl behind her before someone grabbed her roughly and pushed her out of the room.

Rishka had to scrunch her eyes closed against the dim light coming from the flaming torches on the wall. She had grown accustomed to the dark for quite some time, adjusting her body back to normal would be difficult. The guard grabbed her arm and began to lead Rishka away, not caring to be gentle in the slightest. When Rishka could just bear to crack her eyes open, she kept her face to the ground. Looking out the corner of her eye, Rishka just saw door after door, in a continuous row on both her sides. It was then that Rishka finally realized. She had been kept in a cell all that time. How many other kids were locked up in those things? Rishka shuddered inwardly. She didn't want to think about it.

Soon, the guard opened another door, pushed Rishka through it and slammed it shut behind her. Rishka stumbled, regained her balance and then looked up. She was in the mainstream of tunnels again. Rishka groaned softly, rubbing her sore neck. After that, Rishka's body switched onto automatic, one foot plodding on in front of the other, her eyelids drooping from tiredness. All she wanted was to collapse and never wake up. During her slow walk, someone came up to her and shoved a piece of paper in her hand before running off. Rishka couldn't be bothered in caring as she continued to walk, not giving the messenger or paper a glance.

Before she knew it, Rishka had reached the room she shared with Kai. Rishka opened the door and entered the room before kicking it shut behind her. Kai was leaning against the wall on the far side, eyes closed, arms crossed.

"H-How many days have I been locked up for?" Rishka's voice was a feeble croak.

"Hn. Ten days."

"What time is it?"

Kai opened his eyes and looked at his alarm clock.

"12:55am."

"Great…"

"What's with the paper?"

"Huh?" Rishka blinked down at the crumpled strip in her hand. It had slipped from her mind completely.

"I don't know, some kid shoved it into my hand on the way back up…"

Rishka unfolded the paper and held it up to read.

**I told you that you'd pay.**

**Better watch your back.**

**There's still more to come. **

The remaining colour Rishka had on her face drained completely. That note could only be from Nina.

"What does it say?" Kai's voice rang hollow in the girl's ears.

All she could do was stare at those terrible words, unable to tear her eyes away from them. Rishka felt her stomach start to flip and churn violently. She was going to be sick. Rishka screwed up the note and threw it to the floor before bolting towards the bathroom. Rishka dropped to her knees in front of the toilet and stuck her head over the ceramic rim. It had to be one of the worst feelings ever. She wanted to throw up, but there was nothing to spew. So all that came from the girl's mouth was dry retch and vile spittle. Rishka couldn't muster up the will to flinch when a pair of cool hands placed themselves on her brow. It was no other than Kai kneeling beside her, holding her head back. Rishka groaned as she sat back on her haunches.

"I'm not going to make it out of here alive, am I?" Rishka barely managed to hold back her choked sob.

"That depends, on how much you want it."

Kai tore some toilet paper off the roll, blotting the girl's mouth. He then threw the paper into the toilet and flushed it. Kai turned back to Rishka and placed his hands under her arms, hauling her up from the tiled floor, but not like the guard had, not harshly. He led her over to the sink and lifted her up to sit there. Kai got a wash cloth, dampening it with warm water. He then lifted up Rishka's face and brushed some hair back behind her ears. Kai started to dab the wet cloth over Rishka's skin, cleaning her face and neck. Rishka closed her eyes, relaxing. The warm water had a soothing effect as it trickled down her skin.

After a few moments, Kai stopped what he was doing and lifted up Rishka's top. Too buggered to hesitate, Rishka let Kai dispose her of it. Kai soaked the wash cloth in warm water again, rung it out slightly before starting to clean Rishka's skin again. Kai kept his eyes away from a certain part of Rishka's torso, unlike what most perverted guys would do. A slight panic alarm went off in Rishka's mind when she felt Kai slip the bra strap off her shoulder, but relaxed when he slipped it back in place and continued down her arm. Kai then did some first aid, applying antiseptic cream to her cuts. He smoothed plasters over the wounds that needed extra attention.

After a moment's hesitation, Kai removed Rishka's jeans. Here, he repeated the same warm water treatment, but he didn't go past the girl's knees. Rishka wriggled her toes as Kai's touch and the wash cloth tickled her feet. If Kai noticed, he didn't comment on it. Kai repeated his antiseptic and plasters treatment before lifting the girl up and carrying her to her bed. When the covers were placed over her, Rishka turned onto her stomach and finally opened her eyes.

"Can you do me a favour? Please?"

"Humph. Depends on the favour."

Rishka wriggled beneath the covers until half of her back was exposed.

"Could you unhook my bra strap for me?"

Kai's mahogany eyes widened and he couldn't stop his mouth from falling open. Did the tough-talking, snappy Rishka just ask him the question he thought she asked? Well, Kai knew the answer to _that_ question, he just wasn't sure if he should believe it or not. Kai forced his mouth to clamp shut. Still, he had never, ever come in contact with a bra before. How was he supposed to know how to _unhook _one! Rishka's next statement made Kai wonder if the girl could read his mind.

"Come on, it's not hard, all you do is grab the strap with the eyes in one hand, then pull up the strap with the hooks in the other hand. And it's not like you're being a sleaze, I did ask…"

So Kai tried to shake off his slightly agaited feeling and walked up to Rishka's bed, wanting to have the awkwardness gone as soon as possible. Kai inspected the back of Rishka's bra for a moment, then, cautiously, did what he thought she was talking about. Click! Kai blinked in surprise. Too easy. Rishka pulled the blanket back up and rolled onto her back, closing her eyes.

"Thanks."

There was some wriggling movement seen underneath the blanket, then Rishka's bra slipped out from beneath her blanket and onto the floor. Kai stared down at the garment in front of his feet, wide eyed. It was a black bra, outlined with pale pink, with a bow of the same pink in the middle. Kind of sexy, really…

Kai stifled a gasp as he mentally whacked himself across the back of the head several times.

'_Don't think that!'_ Kai scolded himself.

The bluette turned on his heel and walked back into the bathroom. Kai picked up Rishka's clothes, turning off the bathroom light on his way out. He then dumped Rishka's clothes on top of her bra, so the awkward thoughts would stop. Kai then walked over to his own bed, removing his gauntlets, scarf and shoes. He climbed into bed and switched off his lamp, only to sit back up and switch it on again. Kai looked over at Rishka, who was sleeping. She would grow cold, covered in nothing but a blanket. Kai got out of bed and opened one of his bedside table drawers, taking out a grey coat, the one he wore to meet the Bladebreakers at Lake Baikal.

Kai sighed and pushed his old team mates out of his mind. He was stuck in the Abbey now, it would do him no good to think of them. Kai walked over to Rishka's bed, and with some difficulty, dressed her in his coat while keeping her covered beneath the blanket. But as Kai pulled the coat tight around her, his hand touched a part of Rishka that he shouldn't have touched. At her chest area. Kai froze as Rishka stirred in her sleep. Kai then quickly disposed of his shock and climbed back into bed, not wanting to linger in the moment. As Kai flicked his switch off, the little voice in his head decided to taunt him.

'You gave her your clothes!'

'Well, I had to! I couldn't let her get sick. If anything happened to her, Grandfather would kill me, as he wants me to keep a close watch on her.'

'But still, you gave her your clothes! What was wrong with her clothes!'

'It would be wrong to intrude on her privacy. Besides, I'd rather not come in contact with anymore awkward garments…'

Kai could hear the little voice in his head snickering at him. Kai growled slightly as he banished it from his brain.

Kai looked down at his hand, brushing his thumb back and forth over his index finger. Rishka's skin was soft, softer than anything Kai had ever known. But then again, it would be soft, considering that he touched her…

Mentally, Kai beat himself over the head with a bat.

'_Stop it! Don't think about that!' _Kai ordered himself.

After some struggle, Kai fell asleep, though his sleep was uneasy at first. And the whole time, there was a rosy blush consuming his cheeks…

**222222**

**Woot! Finally done! Hope ya all enjoyed! Please review! I'd appreciate it! Love ya all! Happy days! Now smile, because I said so!**

**You/Kai fic fan**


	8. Here's Trouble

**Hello all! Sorry for the delay in updating, been busy with school and trying to get myself a part time job, could use the cash, you know. Anyway, my school break's coming up, so hopefully they'll be more updates soon! Thanks for all your reviews, I really appreciate them!**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Beyblade, just my OCs and the bit-beasts that aren't from the anime and manga.

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter Eight: Here's Trouble**

**222222**

The sky was just starting to evolve into its twilight mode when Rishka woke up. She blinked a couple of times as she allowed her eyes to wander around the room. Rishka no longer felt drowsy from being tired, but the feeling of being weak due to lack of energy was still there. Probably from lack of food. Oh well, never the matter, that would soon be fixed when Rishka went to the cafeteria. She didn't care what colour the indistinguishing plate of blob was, she'd welcome the sight of it whole heartedly!

Rishka rubbed the sleep out of her amber-flecked brown eyes as she sat up, letting her blanket fall down into her lap. Rishka instantly felt cold air hit her skin and looked down while frowning slightly with confusion. When she discovered that she was wearing nothing on the upper half of her body but a coat that wasn't hers, Rishka gasped and her eyes expanded a great deal. Hastily, the girl pulled the grey material around her body, covering up. When Rishka looked up, her eyes got locked onto the sleeping Kai's turned back. Only he could have done this, undressed her, put her in bed and given her the coat. Rishka's half-asleep mind suddenly reeled. What had Kai done? Had he been a sick jerk and perved on her? What, what, what?

Once her thoughts fell silent for a moment, Rishka remembered the previous night. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Kai hadn't done anything to harm her, he had taken care of her. But why? Rishka tilted her head to one side as she continued to stare at Kai's back. That boy was really a mystery. Rishka shifted on her bed and bit her lower lip as she started to remember more details from last night. Kai's cool, strong hands, his gentle touch and the warm wash cloth, her asking him to unhook her bra…

At that memory, Rishka unclamped a hand from the coat and slapped her forehead lightly.

'_What the hell was I thinking, asking Kai to do that!' _Rishka thought wildly as her hand slid down her face and grasped the coat again.

Oh well, she had been so close to falling asleep by then, how could she really be blamed?

'_Note to self, don't ask Kai favours when about to fall asleep!' _Rishka thought.

Then Rishka remembered something else. A memory she had received on the verge of sleep. Kai dressing her beneath the blanket, his hand accidentally touching her breast as he pulled the coat around her…

Rishka jolted as a shiver ran down her spine. Just thinking about it made her nerves tingle all over again. Without knowing why, Rishka hesitantly slid off her bed and tip-toed over to Kai's. She got up onto Kai's bed, sitting on her knees as she leaned over him.

"Kai." Rishka whispered.

The boy didn't move or twitch, despite the slight movement that was caused from his breathing. He looked so peaceful, just lying there, without a scowl on his face for once. There was almost a vulnerability about him…

Rishka leaned in closer to the boy's ear.

"Kai."

Her voice was still a whisper and the boy still didn't wake. Making sure to be swift, Rishka leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks, Kai. You didn't have to be so nice to me."

Rishka then got off Kai's bed and walked into the bathroom, closing the door before she started to shower. As he listened to the water running from the shower, Kai slowly opened his eyes. He sat up and looked over at Rishka's empty bed before raising a hand to touch his cheek, the one that had been kissed. Rishka's lips had felt so warm on his cold skin. Kai wasn't sure if he liked it, but he knew that he didn't hate it. Soon, Kai was brought back to earth as Rishka opened the bathroom door.

"Oh…morning, Kai."

"Hn."

Rishka got rid of her clothes on the floor and then walked over to Kai, his grey coat neatly folded in her hands.

"Here's your coat back."

Kai accepted it back silently.

"Thanks, for taking care of me last night."

"Humph. Don't mention it. Ever again."

Kai got up, his shoulder bumping into Rishka's as he walked past. Rishka blinked her amber-flecked eyes. There he was. The same cold guy she had known since day one. But still, there was something she had to know. Rishka turned around, her eyes fixed on the back of Kai's head.

"Why'd you do it?"

Kai slowed then stopped. He turned his head slightly, so he could just see Rishka out the corner of his eye.

"Do what?"

"Look after me, carry me into bed and made sure that I didn't suffer from frostbite. Why'd you do it?"

There was a few seconds of silence before Kai replied.

"Hn. Look, I don't even know. So don't ask."

Then the bathroom door was shut and Kai was gone. Rishka rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.

"Unbelievable!"

**222222**

As Rishka entered the cafeteria and went to line up, she nearly ran into Nina and her posse, who were doing the same thing. Nina's upper lip curled into a sneer as her bright pink eyes looked her up and down.

"I see you're alive and well." She stared at Rishka with cold eyes and raised an amethyst eyebrow.

"How unfortunate."

Rishka shrugged carelessly. "Maybe for you, because now you know that you'll never win."

Nina scoffed. "Don't be so sure."

"Whatever. Look, I don't know about you, but I wanna get some food. So if you want to chatter endlessly, feel free."

Rishka then stepped up in front of Nina to join the line. Nina looked flabbergasted as she snorted in disbelief. Abbi snickered, she thought it was pretty funny. She was silenced, however, when Nina shot her a dark glare.

"Care to tell the joke, Abbi?"

Abbi sighed as she scowled down at the ground.

"No." she mumbled.

"Oh? Fair enough." Nina then stepped up in line, Brooke following behind her.

Abbi hesitated, then reluctantly fell into step, bringing up the rear. It didn't feel too good, but there wasn't much Abbi could do. Right?

**222222**

Bryan was alone as he walked down the silent hallway. He growled under his breath as he rubbed his jaw. The bruise Kai had given him was now long gone, but he was still furious. If the little runt hadn't interfered, his job would've been done and Nina would've gotten off his back by now. But the thing that angered Bryan the most was that Kai had actually done some damage.

Not only had Kai's punch bruised him, but it had ripped out some of the roots in one of his teeth. Knowing that Boris would never stand for the fact that one of his best beybladers had shown weakness or send for a doctor, Bryan had no choice but to rip the tooth out himself. It had killed and bled for nearly a full day. Bryan cursed under his breath.

'_I'll get you for this, Hiwatari.' _

Bryan's pale eyes flew wide open when he felt someone grab him and drag him into a room.

"What the hell? Nina! What do you want now?" Bryan sneered.

"Well, hello to you too, cousin dear." Nina raised her eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Just spit it out." Bryan snarled.

"You didn't finish your job, Bryan."

"I will finish it."

"Yes, and while we're on the subject of getting my revenge on that little bitch, I've got another surprise for her."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"Oh, nothing. It has to do more with you small, sneaky, big-nosed friend. Think you could put in a good word for me?"

**222222**

Rishka bit the inside of her lip as she forced herself to stand up without shaking or crying out in pain. On the opposite side of the beydish, a tall, bulky, blonde guy let out a sneer. It was the same one that attacked her along with the other two on Nina's orders. Rishka had by now learned that his name was Spencer and that he was a bloody tough beyblader.

Today for Rishka, training went like this: however many beybattles she lost, she got beaten for it.

Every time she lost to Spencer, the guard standing behind her armed with some sort of wooden club would beat her up until she was on the cold stone floor. Rishka clumsily readied her beyblade and launcher once more when she was finally upright. Rishka launched her beyblade, but it missed the beydish completely. It wasn't her fault, she felt far too weakened and fatigued from all the bashings she had received from the guard. But the guard seemed to think that she hadn't received enough.

A soft groan left Rishka's lips as she felt a violent blow come in contact with the back of her head. She was unconscious before she hit the floor, but despite that, the beating continued. It was only when the siren rang moments after did the guard stop. He snarled and kicked the girl's head as he walked past, filing out of the room along with everyone else. The steel doors were slammed shut, leaving Rishka to turn numb as she lay broken on the floor.

**222222**

When Rishka opened her eyes, she found herself enveloped in cold darkness. She felt so drained of energy, so tired…

Rishka closed her eyes as she sighed, exhausted. She suddenly winced as she scrunched up her eyelids and hissed in pain. Oh, yes, Rishka knew very well where she was. She hadn't left the place that long ago…

'_I wonder how many days I'll be held up in here for this time.' _

That was Rishka's last thought before she gave into her body's need to pass out.

**222222**

She had a dream that night. What night she had it, she didn't care. She just wanted it to last forever, knowing that it was far too impossible for this dream to come to life. Rishka saw her mother's kind, gentle face hovering above her own. She was an angel, decked out in those white wings and robe, with an amber glow outlining her form. It was here that Rishka felt no pain, just peace.

"My poor darling." She murmured, stroking her daughter's hair.

Rishka felt tears brimming in her mahogany-flecked-amber eyes.

"Mum, please take me with you. If I can't go back to Dad, then I want to be with you."

The woman smiled sadly.

"I'm afraid that can't be done, love."

A tear slipped down Rishka's cheek.

"Mum…"

The auburn haired woman brushed it away.

"Please don't cry, precious. You'll be alright."

"Here? How can I possibly be ok here?"

A knowing smile slowly appeared on her mother's lips as she stroked Rishka's hair.

"It just so happens to be…that you're needed here."

"Needed here? B-but why? By who?"

"I'm afraid I'm not allowed to say. But it is for good intentions, not evil."

"Ok…"

Suddenly, a noise was heard. The vaguely familiar noise of steel scraping against stone. Rishka's mother suddenly looked away from her and towards the noise, worry evident on her face.

"Mum?"

She looked back at her daughter, brushing her hand back and forth over her cheek.

"I must go now."

"No! Mum!"

"Just stay strong! You'll be with your father soon!"

And Rishka found herself in darkness again.

"Bloody weakling." The guard snarled.

The next thing Rishka knew, she was being hauled up by the scruff of her shirt and dragged down the corridor. Then she was thrown back out to the mainstream tunnels, a steel door slammed shut behind her. Rishka's mind was putting one foot in front of the other. Rishka still felt so tired, so drained, so lifeless. That was probably because Dranzian hadn't been with her. The last time she had her beyblade with her was during that horrifying training session with Spencer.

Rishka groaned with pain and dismay. She was far too beyond buggered right now, she was having enough trouble walking as it was to feel panicked. Rishka knew that once the drowsiness wore away, she would be in full panic mode about her lost beyblade and friend. Slowly, Rishka stopped in front of a door and made herself look up. That was it. The number of the room she shared with Kai. She had somehow found her way back to it without knowing why she didn't get lost. A slight relieved sigh left Rishka's lips as she placed a hand on the doorknob. At least know she could rest comfortably on her bed. Oh, how wrong she was to think that…

Rishka let out a startled cry as she was painfully grabbed the moment she set foot into her room. The door was slammed shut behind Rishka and the unknown stranger as they dragged her over to her bed and flung her down face first upon it. Rishka felt the person straddle her and flip her over onto her back. Once her vision had cleared up and she saw who her captor was, Rishka gasped, eyes wide with terror and déjà vu-ed fear.

**OK MY DEAR READERS, A LITTLE WARNING HERE, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T WANT TO READ A SCENE OF SEXUAL HARRASSMENT. SKIP AHEAD UNTIL YOU SEE THIS: HARRASSMENT SCENE OVER!**

It was Bryan. Just like Kai had warned her, he had come back to finish what he started. With his upper lip curled into a sneer and his pale eyes glinting with malice, Bryan started to pull up her top. Fear started to pump through Rishka's veins as she tried with all she had left to get away and break free.

"No! Stop it!"

Bryan growled and delivered Rishka a harsh slap in the face.

"Shut up! And keep still!" he snarled.

Rishka's vision blurred as her eyes misted over. She was temporarily mute and immobilized, a slap like that could take a lot out of an energy-deprived girl.

Bryan roughly shoved Rishka's arms over her head and held them like that until he yanked off her top, ripping the material as he did so. Bryan let his tongue run over his top lip before he tore Rishka's bra off her body, leaving stinging red marks on her soft skin. Rishka let out a wail of despair, only to earn another slap on the cheek from Bryan. He flung Rishka's arms above her head once more and kept them in place with his steel grip as he started to attack her breasts with his mouth.

"No! Stop it, please! I don't want this!"

Bryan growled and bit into the girl's soft flesh. This made Rishka scream out in pain and let out a choked sob. Bryan worked his way down to the girl's stomach, biting hard into her skin. Rishka cried out in pain as she pleaded for Bryan to stop over and over again. Rishka hated the feel of his cold lips, his rough hands and hurtful teeth. She kept on praying and praying that it would stop, hoping that her wish would be granted. Bryan soon removed himself from Rishka, only to tear off her shoes and socks. He ripped her pants off her, leaving them in tatters on the floor. Bryan then removed his vest and shirt before straddling Rishka again, this time half naked. He lowered himself down to her, sucking and biting her neck violently as he grabbed her breast and fondled them coarsely.

"No! No, please! Stop! No!" Rishka cried, tears falling from her eyes.

Bryan started to grind his lower body into her own.

"Please stop…"

**OK, HARRASSMENT SCENE OVER! YOU CAN READ NOW, FOR THOSE THAT SKIPPED AHEAD!**

Suddenly, Rishka's prayer was answered. Her angel had arrived. The door was flung open and in walked Kai, wearing a coat with a bag over his shoulder. He had just come back from Japan and his grandfather.

Kai's mahogany eyes widened in shock at the sight before him, Rishka's tattered clothes on the floor, Bryan on top of a nearly naked Rishka as she cried out for him to stop the horrible things he was doing. Kai's blood over boiled as he glared at the sight he had now registered. He shook with fury. That bastard! How dare he!

Kai growled and launched his Dranzer at Bryan, smacking him right on the side of his stupid head. Bryan growled and cursed, but wasn't given enough time to react as Kai pulled him off Rishka and slammed his fist into Bryan's face several times, resulting in a bleeding nose, split lip and black eye.

"You fucking bastard! Come near her again and I'll kill you!" Kai growled menacingly before throwing Bryan and his clothes out of the room.

Kai shut the door and locked it before walking over to Rishka's bed. The girl was all out crying as her body shook with choking gasps and hiccups. There were angry red scratch and bite marks on her breasts and stomach. And Kai could tell from the look of her neck that she would have some nasty bruises by the morning. Kai tsked as he stripped off his coat and kneeled on Rishka's bed, dressing her and buttoning her up in warmth.

"K…Kai." She hiccupped as she looked up at him with terrified and crying eyes.

Kai said nothing as he brushed her tears away. Shakily, Rishka managed to sit up. Once she did that, she flung her arms around Kai's waist as she sobbed into his chest. Kai remembered seeing something like this before. It had been long ago, when his parents were still alive, a distant memory.

His mother had been upset, crying her eyes out about something. His father had wrapped his arms around her, hugging her. Holding her tightly until the crying was over. It had worked to soothe his mother, but would it work on Rishka? It might, as she was the one that had reached out for him. Kai remembered what that was like. Reaching out when you needed to be soothed and comforted. That was long ago, when he had been allowed a warm heart. He now had a completely cold one, or did he?

Slowly, Kai wrapped his arms around Rishka, returning her embrace. Gradually, he tightened his hold, but made sure that he wouldn't crush her. Eventually, Rishka stopped shaking and the crying ceased. Rishka turned her face away from Kai's chest, pressing the side of her head against him as she sniffed.

"Thank you, Kai."

"Hn. What are you thanking me for?"

"You came just in time."

"Hn."

Rishka then noticed the bag that Kai had dropped.

"Where have you been?"

"With my grandfather."

"Oh. Suppose you wouldn't know how long I've been locked up for then."

"Two weeks. Seeing as you were taken to the dungeons when I left, and then let out today, by the looks of it."

"Yeah."

"I've got something that belongs to you."

"What?"

Kai pulled away from Rishka and reached into his pocket. Out of it came Dranzian, clutched in his hand.

"Oh my god…thank you so much, Kai." Rishka breathed.

She took it from him, clutching the blade in both hands as she held it to her heart. Her most treasured possession and friend had been returned. The only memory of her mother and the last gift received from the woman that she barely knew. To think that she had come so close to losing it…

Rishka closed her eyes as she held the beyblade tighter. Gradually, she was surrounded by an amber glow. The golden light intensified for minutes before fading out. Slowly, Rishka opened her eyes. She was healed, her wounds had vanished. But she was still tired. And scared. Rishka placed Dranzian on her bedside table before lifting up the covers and lying down in bed. As Kai stood up to leave, Rishka grabbed onto his wrist.

"Wait. Stay here. Please?" she asked softly.

Kai turned to look at her. There was something about that sad, scared look that struck a chord in Kai's heart. He couldn't say no. Wordlessly, Kai took off his shoes, gauntlets and scarf before climbing into Rishka's bed. The girl shuffled closer to him, wrapping her arms around Kai's waist as she snuggled her head into his chest. Slowly, Kai wrapped his own arms around Rishka, enveloping her with the warmth of his body heat. The whole time, the both of them were silent. And they remained that way, until the spell of slumber claimed them.

**222222**

**Ah, I'm so glad that's finally done! Gosh, my shoulders are so sore, I gotta stretch 'em out a bit! That took me about three hours to type up…damn, my typing skills are getting rusty! Well, let me know what you think! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! **

**You/Kai fic fan**


	9. Little Hell

**Broken and Bruised**

**Chapter Nine: Little Hell  
**

**222222**

When Rishka woke up, it was still dark, but a glance out the window told her that sunrise was soon approaching. The girl sighed as she rolled over; mildly shocked to see Kai's sleeping face in front of her own. It was then that she became aware of his arms around her and started to struggle in an attempt to escape from the embrace. Why was Kai holding her? What was he doing in her bed?

Then the horrendous events of yesterday flashed through her mind, and her struggling ceased. Bryan had come back…and Kai had saved her. Again. Rishka sighed with exasperation as she rubbed her eyes. She hated this. She was supposed to be strong, she wasn't supposed to let anything break her, yet Kai had seen her crumble so many times. This fact made her feel like scum. Low, inferior, weak. Rishka didn't think she'd be able to meet Kai's gaze without feeling ashamed. Even though she was only human, and it was human nature to feel fear when attacked…it made her feel like a fake, a hypocrite.

The reason for this was because she had acted so tough in front of Kai when she had first came here, she was defiant, she was going to show that she wouldn't go down quietly. But now…now she was just like a little child. It was funny, that she had clung to the very person that she appeared to have despised. Kai. But that fit in with human nature too. A person would sought out for comfort when afraid.

Rishka glanced down. She was wearing Kai's coat again. A blush flared up on her cheeks as she realized that Kai had now seen her practically naked. She bit her lip as she shut her eyes tightly. She hated this! Hated all of it! More than ever, Rishka wished that she could go home. She felt the tears fall from her closed eyes, but managed to keep the sobs at bay. However, she jolted at the gentle touch that brushed her tears away.

"Hey…"

Slowly, Rishka opened her eyes. She was met by the sight of Kai's serious face; his eyebrows were furrowed, hinting that he was concerned. Kai brushed some hair out of the girl's eyes before continuing to do the same with her tears.

"What's the matter?"

That was all it took. Rishka buried her face in her hands as her shoulders shook, unable to withhold her sobs. With her voice muffled and distorted, Rishka explained.

"I-I just hate this! I bl-bloody hate all…all of it! I-I feel s-so exposed to you! A-And in more-more ways than one!"

Kai frowned as he stared at the girl, continuing to listen.

"I just feel…so w-weak a-and helpless. I-I feel useless! And that's not w-who I am! It's not!"

"Hey, hey, hey…" Kai soothed quietly, pulling the distraught girl closer, stroking her hair.

Kai knew how she felt, in a sense. He had witnessed her when she was defenseless, so now she thought that he was going to look down his nose at her, ridicule her. Taunt her for being a weakling. But she was wrong. He wouldn't do that. It wasn't his job to be the tyrant, the sadist of this sick place. He would not become one of them. He _refused _to become a manifestation of his grandfather. Kai's ears picked up a faint whimper as Rishka pressed herself closer.

"Look, you don't…you don't have to worry about that. You don't have to prove anything to me."

Eventually, Kai's hands came to rest upon the girl's shoulderblades. It was also only then that Rishka removed her hands and looked up at him. Amber-speckled eyes locked with mahogany, neither able to look away. The brunette emitted a shaky breath.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Kai just continued to stare at the girl. Honestly, he didn't know how to answer that. Sure, Voltaire had ordered that he keep an eye on her, but it wasn't that. She was his roommate…and he had seen her softer side directed at him once or twice…

Perhaps he'd developed a weak spot for her, was that it? Mentally, Kai shook his head. he just didn't know…

Kai guessed that Rishka interpreted his silence for confusion as she spoke again.

"I was such a bitch to you when I first got here…"

Kai couldn't help the small chuckle.

"Yeah, you were. But seeing as it was your first time in this hellhole, I can see your reason for it. Besides, I've been told that I don't exactly roll out the welcome wagon."

A tiny, wry smile worked its way onto Rishka's lips.

"No, you don't."

"Hn."

Kai's mouth twitched as he tried to refrain from smirking. Rishka rolled her eyes. Secretly, she was glad that she was able to talk again. She felt less vulnerable, more like her old self, and that was a good thing. It was silent again as the two just looked at each other. Feeling slightly awkward, Rishka averted her eyes.

"You know, we have to get up soon."

"Yeah…" Kai replied, uncoiling his arms from around the female's body.

Rishka was shocked to feel a tinge of disappointment, but squashed it before it could take root and grow. The girl eased herself out of the bed to look for some clothes as Kai wandered over to his own. Rishka tsked and shook her head.

"I'm running out of clean clothes…they better have a washing machine around here somewhere!"

"They do, but only the guards and Boris are allowed to use it. Sometimes the Demolition Boys, if their clothes get a bit too bloody."

Rishka blinked as she looked up at Kai. She hadn't been expecting him to answer.

"Now that's just dirty!" the girl pulled a face.

"How can they expect to breed a bunch of elite beybladers if the kids don't have proper hygiene?"

Kai shrugged.

"Guess they figure it helps harden their morale or break their spirits, something like that."

Rishka shuddered.

"More like lead to illness and infection. What happens if a kid dies like that? How'd they stop the germs from spreading?"

The look Kai gave her sent chills down Rishka's spine.

"Let's just say that not all the fires in this place run on wood."

Rishka shuddered violently before looking away.

"Oh my god…"

Kai scoffed darkly.

"Yeah…the kids get to have showers about once a month, and they get new clothes then too, if they're lucky."

Rishka laughed dryly.

"I have a hunch that luck is a rarity here."

With that, the girl stood with her clothes and went to take her shower. Even though she should've felt gratitude at finally being able to shower, all Rishka could do was frown. It seemed that no matter how scalding the water was and no matter how hard she scrubbed, she couldn't remove Bryan from her body. She felt so…dirty. And regardless of how desperately she tried, Rishka just couldn't get clean. With a weary sigh, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. It would do no good to just use up all the hot water. Just standing there wouldn't change anything. Rishka dressed and left the bathroom for Kai to use before making her way down to the dining hall.

Oh her way towards an empty table after leaving the queue, Rishka caught a glimpse of the look on Nina's face. She appeared to be feeling extremely smug, her eyes narrowed and lips pouted in a manner that told the world she was quite pleased with herself. The nasty little bitch…

Rishka kept her eyes focused on Nina until she reached her table. Then, she did the complete opposite of what she felt like doing. She sent Nina a smirk of supreme satisfaction. When Nina scowled, Rishka knew that her mission was accomplished and took her seat. She knew this game and if Nina wanted to see her crack, she had a long way to go. Of course, after the hell that Nina had put her through lately, Rishka felt like running away and hiding, to cry, kick, scream, to hurt somebody. She felt confused, angry and worthless. She was on her way to becoming a broken girl, if she hadn't become one already. But she wouldn't let Nina see that she had gotten under her skin. No way – Rishka had far too much pride for that. The idea with this game wasn't to get mad, but to get even. Anyone who had gone to high school at some point in their life and had run into the bitchy girls of that high school would know this. With Nina, it was about reputation, her appearance. She cared around how good she looked. Rishka knew how to attack that, she'd done it already by outsmarting her with words and beating her in that beybattle. But little petty tricks would only go so far, they'd do for now, but still…

Rishka thought further on the matter as she ate, observing the trio of girls. Physical things aside, the both of them looked like exact clones of Nina. Rishka had noticed how they stood on the sidelines, trailed behind; never spoke words of their own. The girl arched a dark brow as she sat up straighter. Was that it, then? Did Nina crave power? Rishka had to stop herself from snorting. Stupid question…of course she did! Probably wouldn't have set up Bryan to do her dirty work otherwise, or confronted her on day one in the first place. Hmm…now, how to diminish that power…

Rishka glanced over to the table again and was surprised to find Abbi's gaze on her. The fiery-haired girl was biting on her lower lip, her eyes looking concerned. Guilty, even. However, when she realized that Rishka had caught her out, the girl blinked and snapped her head back down. Rishka felt both eyebrows rise. Maybe the girls weren't as happy following Nina as it seemed…well, at least one of them, anyway. Perhaps severing Nina's ties would be easier than she thought. But how to get Abbi to talk with her one-on-one? That would be the tricky part…

Rishka glanced up, just in time to see Nina leaving the table. Now would be a grand opportunity to put her petty tricks to use. Discreetly, Rishka rose from the table, walking towards the trolleys for dirty dishes. After disposing all into their correct buckets except for her tray, Rishka noticed Nina strutting towards her. And the rations cook wasn't that far behind with the food scraps trolley…nice. Rishka pretended to drop her tray by accident and crouched down to retrieve it. Keeping her eyes on Nina's feet, Rishka made sure to "clumsily" kick the tray out of her hand's reach just as Nina's foot came down. Due to the low friction between tray and floor, Nina fell backwards, shrieking as she flailed her arms wildly. Rishka turned and made her way to the exit, but didn't leave before hearing Nina's body make the pleasing sound of coming in contact with the leftover food. Rishka's mouth twitched as she heard the sound of kids laughing and snickering echo around the cafeteria. As she turned into the hallway, Rishka saw from the corner of her eye that as Nina was dripping from head to toe in cold, unsightly muck, she was both embarrassed and fuming terribly.

'_Good.'_ Rishka thought bitterly. _'That'll even up the score…for now.'_

**222222**

For once, Rishka found that she was glad to be forced into the notorious Biovolt training. It gave her something to focus on, something that required all of her attention and energy. Under the cruel eyes of the Abbey guards and corrupted scientists that hooked them up to machines, Rishka didn't have the time to think about the incidents that had happened with Bryan, nor could she afford to. Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead. Her limbs and muscles had gone beyond the point of unbearably sore to incredibly numb. But she was so used to it by now. It was like being on autopilot. Her brain just switched off and her body kept going.

It was only when the siren went off to signal the changing groups did Rishka allow herself to collapse. Against the icy stone corridor, away from prying eyes of course. Panting and sweating from sheer exhaustion, Rishka slid down the wall until she was seated on the ground. Leaning her head back as she sucked the oxygen back into her lungs, Rishka closed her eyes. But only for a moment. This Abbey was a deadly place – no one could afford to be lax around here.

Rishka narrowed her eyes in a dark glare at the dank ceiling. When the thought crossed her mind, Rishka realized that she hated her father. She hated him with every ounce of strength she had left for putting her in here. honestly, why couldn't he have said no? Why couldn't he have told her earlier so they could run? They had ran before – why couldn't they do it this time? With a sigh, Rishka lowered her gaze and hauled herself to her feet. She attempted to push her father from her mind. What was the point in wasting energy by being bitter towards a man that was out of sight and out of reach? It would do her no good. But nevertheless, Rishka didn't think that she'd ever be able to forgive her father for doing this to her – for signing away her freedom. Not for a very long time.


End file.
